New research shows need for teenage vaccination against meningitis - United Kingdom

Meningitis Research Foundation has funded research to be released on 1st June which demonstrates the need for a Meningitis C (MenC) vaccine booster in early adolescence to maintain long term protection against meningitis and septicaemia caused by MenC.

Since the introduction of the MenC vaccine in 1999, MenC disease has fallen rapidly with only 20 cases of the disease recorded in 2010. Over 10,000 cases have been prevented in the last 11 years and more than 1,000 lives saved.

However, children vaccinated in the original campaign are up to 12 years of age now, and although covered during their infancy, they are unlikely to be protected against MenC in their teens and into adulthood.

 Previous studies by the Oxford Vaccine Group and the Health Protection Agency have shown that immunity levels fall rapidly after vaccination. This latest MRF-funded study, led by Professor Robert Read at the University of Sheffield, investigated the complex immune mechanisms behind this loss of protection.    

The study, published today in Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, looked at a group of 18 to 39 year olds and measured their immunity levels after vaccination with the MenC conjugate vaccine. Results showed that, although all were fully protected one month after vaccination, up to a third of them had unprotective or low antibody responses one year later. Further investigation showed that these people had developed an immune memory response but that this was too slow to protect against MenC infection. 

The results are important since they contribute to the growing body of evidence for introducing a teenage MenC booster. Currently children get 3 doses of MenC vaccine at 3, 4 and 12 months. The second most at risk age group for MenC disease is teenagers and young adults, who are also the main carriers and distributors of MenC bacteria between each other and the rest of the population. It is therefore very important that this age group is protected in their teenage years, and a teenage booster may also maintain protection up to the age when they are likely to become parents.  This will prevent transmission of the disease to young children who are particularly vulnerable.

Chris Head, Chief Executive of MRF, said: “MenC vaccination has been a great success story. This was largely down to the targeted ‘catch-up’ campaign vaccinating all children and teenagers under the age of 19 and subsequently young adults up to 25 years of age – including the age group most likely to carry the MenC bacteria. It is very important to prevent carriage in this age group to keep this disease at bay.  Indeed, a teenage booster could be just the opportunity we need to provide wider protection against these deadly diseases.  If the conjugate MenACWY vaccine was used instead of MenC, we could save lives now forfeit to W, Y and A strains of the bacteria, currently rare in the UK and Ireland but widespread elsewhere in the world.”

For information on the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, you can call the Freefone 24 hour helpline on 080 8800 3344, visit www.meningitis.org or download the free app from I-tunes – ‘meningitis bug blaster’.

Source: The Meningitis Research Foundation - an inaugural member of the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations.