Recommendations for the use of meningococcal vaccines in South Africa

Background: Although meningococcal disease (MD) incidence in South Africa is low, Neisseria meningitidis (NM) causes severe disease that is often life-threatening and can cause long-term disabilities. A quadrivalent protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) is available, and provides protectio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Southern African journal of infectious diseases 2017-08, Vol.32 (3), p.82-86
Main Authors: Meiring, Susan, Hussey, Gregory, Jeena, Prakash, Parker, Salim, von Gottberg, Anne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asplenia
CD4 antigen
Complement deficiency
Guidelines
Health risk assessment
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
Immunization
Immunological memory
Infants
Laboratories
Meningitis
Meningococcal disease
Meningococcal vaccines
Morbidity
Neisseria meningitidis
Polysaccharides
Proteins
South Africa
Travellers
Vaccine
Vaccines
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Summary:Background: Although meningococcal disease (MD) incidence in South Africa is low, Neisseria meningitidis (NM) causes severe disease that is often life-threatening and can cause long-term disabilities. A quadrivalent protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) is available, and provides protection against 75% of disease causing serogroups in South Africa. Recommendations: We advise vaccination of persons at high risk of meningococcal disease including those with complement deficiency and asplenia; laboratory personnel from reference laboratories who work with NM; and travellers to Saudi Arabia. The need for routine vaccine against meningococcal disease in South Africa is controversial given the current burden of disease. However, due to the high morbidity/mortality of MD we recommend that clinicians consider vaccination of healthy infants and children; HIV-infected persons with a CD4 count > 25%; students attending college /university /military academies; and miners. Conclusion: Protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine is preferable to the polysaccharide vaccine given the ability of the protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine to induce immune memory, allow for booster responses and eliminate carriage of the organism in the person vaccinated.
ISSN:2312-0053
2313-1810
DOI:10.1080/23120053.2017.1359939