Back to Journals » Infection and Drug Resistance » Volume 4

Meningococcal conjugate vaccines: optimizing global impact

Authors Terranella A, Cohn A, Clark T

Published 21 September 2011 Volume 2011:4 Pages 161—169

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S21545

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 4



Andrew Terranella1,2, Amanda Cohn2, Thomas Clark2
1Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Applied Sciences, Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office, 2Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

Abstract: Meningococcal conjugate vaccines have several advantages over polysaccharide vaccines, including the ability to induce greater antibody persistence, avidity, immunologic memory, and herd immunity. Since 1999, meningococcal conjugate vaccine programs have been established across the globe. Many of these vaccination programs have resulted in significant decline in meningococcal disease in several countries. Recent introduction of serogroup A conjugate vaccine in Africa offers the potential to eliminate meningococcal disease as a public health problem in Africa. However, the duration of immune response and the development of widespread herd immunity in the population remain important questions for meningococcal vaccine programs. Because of the unique epidemiology of meningococcal disease around the world, the optimal vaccination strategy for long-term disease prevention will vary by country.

Keywords: conjugate vaccine, meningitis, meningococcal vaccine, meningococcal disease

Creative Commons License © 2011 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.