Publications
Partners
Meningococcus has three main strains: A, B and C. There is a vaccine against the A and C strains, which is effective in about 80% of cases. There is no vaccine against meningococcus group B, which is still the most common group causing meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia.
There are 13 strains of the meningococcal disease worldwide with the most common being A, B, C, W135 and Y. In Australia, the two most common strains are B and C.
Although there is currently no effective vaccine against strain B, the majority of meningococcal infections in Australia are caused by strain C, which is vaccine-preventable across all age groups.
The meningococcal C vaccination is recommended as part of routine childhood immunisation and is listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule and funded for children under the Immunise Australia Program at no cost.
The vaccine is now given in combination with Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine, which has dramatically reduced the number of Hib meningitis cases in many parts of the world.
There are different types of meningococcal vaccines:
• Meningococcal C conjugate vaccines (MenCCV)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b–meningococcal C combination vaccine (Hib-MenCCV)
• Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (4vMenCV)
• Quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines (4vMenPV)
Dosage of the vaccine
• A single dose of MenCCV or Hib-MenCCV should be given to all children at the age of 12 months.
• Hib-MenCCV is administered as a single dose at 12 months, when a booster dose of Hib and the primary dose of serogroup C meningococcal vaccine are required.
• Vaccination before 12 months isn't recommended, except in infants with inherited defects of properdin, or functional or anatomical asplenia.
• There has been no evidence to date of vaccine failure in infants vaccinated according to a two, four and six months schedule.
There are 13 strains of the meningococcal disease worldwide with the most common being A, B, C, W135 and Y. In Australia, the two most common strains are B and C.
Although there is currently no effective vaccine against strain B, the majority of meningococcal infections in Australia are caused by strain C, which is vaccine-preventable across all age groups.
The meningococcal C vaccination is recommended as part of routine childhood immunisation and is listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule and funded for children under the Immunise Australia Program at no cost.
The vaccine is now given in combination with Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine, which has dramatically reduced the number of Hib meningitis cases in many parts of the world.
There are different types of meningococcal vaccines:
• Meningococcal C conjugate vaccines (MenCCV)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b–meningococcal C combination vaccine (Hib-MenCCV)
• Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (4vMenCV)
• Quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines (4vMenPV)
Dosage of the vaccine
• A single dose of MenCCV or Hib-MenCCV should be given to all children at the age of 12 months.
• Hib-MenCCV is administered as a single dose at 12 months, when a booster dose of Hib and the primary dose of serogroup C meningococcal vaccine are required.
• Vaccination before 12 months isn't recommended, except in infants with inherited defects of properdin, or functional or anatomical asplenia.
• There has been no evidence to date of vaccine failure in infants vaccinated according to a two, four and six months schedule.
