Meningococcal vaccine

Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by a strain of the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. This invasive bacterium is one of the main causes of bacterial meningitis in children aged 2 to 18 years.

A meningococcal infection can include meningitis, a serious, life-threatening inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, and/or a life-threatening blood infection. Meningococcal disease can lead to loss of limbs due to amputation, hearing loss, nervous system problems, mental retardation, seizures, and strokes.

Fortunately, meningococcal disease is preventable, and the key to prevention is the meningococcal vaccine. Here is information about a vaccine you can use to protect yourself and your family from meningococcal disease.

How is meningococcal disease spread and who is most at risk?

Meningococcal disease is not as contagious as other illnesses such as the common cold or the flu. But it is transmitted through contact with infected respiratory and pharyngeal secretions. This can happen when coughing, kissing, or sneezing.

Since the risk is increased by close or prolonged contact with an infected person, family members living in the same household and caregivers are at increased risk. For the same reason, students living in hostels also live.

Can the meningococcal vaccine cause meningococcal disease?

Short answer: no. None of the vaccines contains live bacteria.

Vaccines contain antigens, substances that trigger the body's immune system and cause it to produce antibodies. These antibodies then protect the body by attacking and killing bacteria if they enter your system.

The first vaccine, the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, or MPSV4, was approved in 1978. It is made from antigens contained in the outer polysaccharide or sugar capsule surrounding the bacteria.

The meningococcal conjugate vaccine, or MCV4, was approved in 2005. It uses antigens extracted from a polysaccharide capsule and then linked to a separate protein that targets the body's immune cells. This makes it easier for the body's immune system to see and recognize antigens.

One type of MCV4, Menveo, is licensed for use in people aged 2 to 55 years. Another version, Menactra, is approved for people aged 9 months to 55 years. MPSV4 is the only vaccine licensed for use in people over 55 years of age and in people aged 2 to 55 years. Both vaccines protect against four types of meningococcal disease.

In 2015, two serogroup B vaccines were licensed to protect against two other forms of meningococcal disease. MenB-FHpb or Trumenba have been approved for a three-dose regimen, while MenB-4C Bexsero has been approved for two doses. Both vaccines have been shown to be effective in protecting people between the ages of 10 and 25, but have also been shown to be beneficial in older patients.

Are the two meningococcal vaccines equally effective?

The MCV4, MPSV4, and MenB vaccines are approximately 85-90% effective in preventing meningococcal disease. In fact, there are several types of N meningitidis.

MCV4 has not been available long enough to compare the long-term efficacy of the two vaccines. But most experts believe that MCV4 provides better and longer lasting protection.

Is it possible to get vaccinated and get meningitis?

Because vaccines do not protect against all causes of meningitis, a person can always get a vaccine and still get meningitis from a different strain that is not protected by the vaccine. But the risk of contracting meningococcal meningitis is much lower after vaccination.

There are other causes of meningitis that can be prevented. Vaccines such as the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine are also very effective in protecting against other causes of meningitis and should be included in a routine childhood immunization plan. Check with your doctor and your children's doctor to make sure you and your family are protected from meningitis as well as other serious illnesses.

Who should be vaccinated against meningococcus and when?

Although MCV4 is the vaccine of choice for most people, if it is not available at the time of vaccination, MPSV4 can be used.

Routine vaccination with MCV4 meningococcal vaccine is recommended for children at 11 or 12 years of age, and revaccination is given at 16 to 18 years of age. Vaccinations are also recommended for the following groups:

College freshmen living in a dorm
Military recruits
Someone with a damaged spleen
Someone who has had their spleen removed
Someone with terminal complement deficiency (immune system problem)
Microbiologists regularly come into contact with meningococcal bacteria
Someone is traveling or living in a country where the disease is common
Someone who has been exposed to meningitis

Teenagers aged 11 and 12 usually receive an injection during their physical exam at age 11 or 12. It is necessary to make an appointment to give an injection to teenagers who did not have an injection at the age of 11 or 12 years.

The vaccine can be administered to pregnant women. However, because MCV4 and MenB are newer vaccines, there is limited data on their effects in pregnant women. They should only be used when clearly needed.

Anyone who is allergic to any of the components used in the vaccine should not receive the vaccine. It is important to tell your doctor about all your allergies.

People with a mild illness, such as a cold or nasal congestion, can usually get the vaccine. But people who are moderately or severely ill at the time of vaccination should wait until they recover.

Anyone with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome should discuss their history with their doctor before getting vaccinated.

What are the side effects of meningococcal vaccines?

With any vaccine, there is a risk of a serious allergic reaction within minutes or hours after the injection. But the chances of meningococcal vaccines causing a serious reaction are extremely low.

About one in two people who receive an injection will experience mild reactions, such as redness or mild pain at the injection site. They usually disappear within one to two days. A small percentage of people develop a mild fever.

Several people have been reported to have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome after receiving MCV4. But experts say it happens so rarely that it's impossible to tell if it's related to the vaccine or just a coincidence.

What are the risks of Guillain-Barré syndrome with MCV4 vaccination?

Experts state that the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome in vaccinated people is no higher than the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome in the general population.

However, the timing of the onset of symptoms is a concern. The current view is that while there is a slight increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, it is more than outweighed by the risk of meningococcal infection without a vaccine.

Talk to your doctor if you have any other concerns about the vaccine and Guillain-Barré syndrome.