Meningitis jab gets nod from WHO advisers 

Countries in the African meningitis belt have been advised to introduce the pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, known as Men5CV, into their routine immunisation programmes in a single-dose schedule at 9 to 18 months of age. The vaccine is safe and effective in children and adults but largely ineffective in infants.

This is after researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, part of the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium, provided an interim analysis showing that the pentavalent (NmCV-5) meningitis vaccine is safe for use in 9-month-old infants in the Africa meningitis belt.

Men5CV targets five of the 12 identified serogroups of meningitis, six of which (A, B, C, W, X and Y) can cause disease and epidemics. This vaccine targets A, C, Y, W, and X.

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The World Health Organisation’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (Sage) on immunisation recommended that all countries in the African meningitis belt introduce the Men5CV vaccine into their routine immunisation programmes to be administered in a single dose scheduled between 9 to 18 months of age.

Meningococcal meningitis, caused by invasive strains of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, is a major health concern in Africa due to its high mortality and permanent disability rates. The highest burden of the disease is in the meningitis belt of Sub-Saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia.

During meningococcal meningitis epidemics, case fatalities can exceed 15 percent, and long-term complications among survivors in Africa are significantly higher than in high-income countries. Given the rapid onset of the disease and limited access to care, vaccination is considered the most effective method to reduce cases.

Several vaccines are available for protection from the most common serogroups causing disease. But Dr Wilbur Chen, a professor of medicine at UMSOM’s Centre for Vaccine Development and Global Health, said NmCV-5 can be stored at room temperature for up to 12 weeks, making it suitable for African countries.