Meningitis vaccine suggested for at-risk babies - United States of America

A vaccine against meningococcal disease, which is a life-threatening bacterial infection, should be given to some infants as young as 9 months old, an advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The recommendation applies only to infants who are at high risk of contracting the disease, the panel said. These include infants who travel to or live in countries outside the United States where the disease is common, and those who have certain immune deficiencies.

This group is small — just a few thousand children in the United States, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

"The recommendation is "aimed at protecting a handful of high-risk children," Schaffner said.

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Source: MSNBC - United States of America