New meningitis vaccine appears safe for babies
As a Mom who nearly lost her precious ten day old son to meningitis, I am delighted to report that a new experimental meningitis vaccine that protects against four strains of the bacterial disease has been successfully tested on babies in the UK and Canada. The study, which was sponsored by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, and carried out by Dr Matthew D. Snape of the Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
US public health statistics highlight that 10 to 14 per cent of the 1,400 to 2,800 Americans who contract invasive meningococcal disease every year will die. The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all 11 to 18 year olds receive a tetravalent vaccine (protects against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y). However, the currently licensed vaccine does not have a high immunity success rate in babies, where the disease is most prevalent.
In the vaccine study, 421 healthy babies in the UK and Canada were randomized to receive either one of three different dosing schedules of tetravalent MenACWY, or a monovalent vaccine (against serogroup C only).
The researchers measured the babies’ antibody levels after vaccination, assessed the safety of the vaccine, and any adverse reactions. They found that:
- MenACWY was well tolerated.
- It gave immunity against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y when administered in two dosing schedules: at 2, 3 and 4 months of age, and at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.
- At least 92 per cent of babies who had the vaccine at age 2,3 and 4 months had sufficient antibodies against all four strains of meningococcal disease.
- Babies who received the vaccine at age 2,4, and 6 months had similar levels of protection for strains C, W-135, and Y, but protection against serogroup A was lower at 81 per cent.
- In a further group that had the vaccine at 2 and 4 months, with a booster at 12 months, 84 per cent of the babies had sufficient protection against strains C, W-135, and Y, and 60 to 66 per cent were protected against strain A after the first two doses.
- This protection went up to 95 per cent against the first three strains, and 84 per cent against strain A, after the 12 month booster.
The vaccine is not yet commercially available but assuming it eventually gains approval and is licensed, there will still be some questions that need answering such as how long immunity lasts, is there a need for extra dosing later in childhood and adolescence?
For the full article please click on the following link:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/299/2/173
Elaine Warburton
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POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health, Meningitis, Vaccines, infectious diseases
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