Recommendations for Meningococcal Vaccination

Serogroup	Features
A	uncommon in US, but common in Africa and Asia
B	46% of US cases
C	45% of US cases
Y	small percent of US cases
W-135	small percent of US cases
untypable	small percent of US cases

 

Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine

(1) specificities: A, C, Y, W-135

(2) The recommended dose is a single 0.5 mL subcutaneous injection.

(3) Each dose consists of 50 µg of each of the purified bacterial capsular polysaccharides.

(4) The vaccine does not protect against serogroup B.

 

High risk groups in whom vaccination should be considered:

(1) terminal complement component deficiencies (C3, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9)

(2) anatomic or functional asplenia

(3) occupational exposure to Neisseria meningitidis (research, laboratory, industrial)

(4) travelers to countries where N. meningitidis is hyperendemic or epidemic (sub-Saharan Africa during the December to June dry season, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Mongolia)

(5) military recruits

(6) possibly patients with HIV infection

(7) exposed subpopulations during potential outbreak (if the causative strain is included in the vaccine)

(8) adolescents at 11-12 and 15 years of age

(9) college freshmen

 

Primary vaccination:

(1) It is not recommended for children < 2 years of age due to relative ineffectiveness.

(2) It can be used in children >= 3 months for short term protection against serogroup A meningococcal disease (see below)

(3) It can be administered during pregnancy.

 

Age Group	Revaccination Recommendations
children 3-18 months for short term protection against serogroup A	give a second dose 3 months after first dose
children who were vaccinated when they were < 4 years of age	after 2-3 years
older children and adults	within 3-5 years