MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE

Menactra approved for children as young as 9 months of age. Already approved for ages 2-55 years, Menactra will now protect younger children from meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. FDA Press Release Apr 22 2011
Updated ACIP Recommendations The ACIP updated recommendations for meningococcal vaccine to include a booster at age 16 and a 2-dose primary vaccination series for high-risk people. MMWR 1-28-11
Menveo, Novartis's quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, approved by US FDA for active immunization of individuals 11 through 55 years of age to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C,Y and W-135. package insert (2-19-10)
A randomised trial on the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of MenACWY-CRM, an investigational quadrivalent meningococcal glycoconjugate vaccine, administered concomitantly with Tdap in adolescents and young adults.
A study published by Gasparini R et al in Clinical Vaccine Immunology indicates that the investigational MenACWY-CRM vaccine is well tolerated and immunogenic, and can be co-administered with Tdap in adolescents and young adults. link to PubMed abstract (2-24-10)
Safety and immunogenicity of an investigational quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine after one or two doses given to infants and toddlers.
Halperin et al report their findings of a phase II clinical trial in a population of infants and toddlers in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease. (03-2010) link to PubMed abstract.
Updated Recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Revaccination of Persons at Prolonged Increased Risk for Meningococcal (9-25-09) link to MMWR
Recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for use of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) in children aged 2--10 years at increased risk for invasive meningococcal disease. (12-7-07) link to MMWR
ACIP's Revised Recommendations to Vaccinate All Persons Aged 11-18 Years with Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (8-10-07) link
Update on Guillain Barre Syndrome following meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra): No change in recommendations for use of the vaccine
The FDA and CDC have updated their information on Guillain Barre Syndrom (GBS) after meningococcal conjugate vaccine [link to MMWR]. GBS is a neurological disorder associated with a progressive paralysis over several days to weeks. Most people with GBS recover over a period of many weeks of months. The evidence generated by CDC and FDA suggests that there could be an increased risk of GBS of about one in one million following Menactrra in adolescents, but additional studies are needed to clearly answer this question.
Since the known risk of severe complications from meningococcal infections is high in this age group, the CDC has not altered the recommendations for routine use for adolescents, college freshmen living in dorms and others at high risk for the disease.
CDC has provided detailed information (11-01-06)
Guillain-Barré Syndrome Among Recipients of Menactra^®Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine --- United States, June--July 2005. MMWR 2005;54(Dispatch);1-3. - Descriptions and details about the 5 cases of GBS after receipt of meningococcal vaccine. (10- 2005)
FDA/CDC issue an alert on meningococcal vaccine following 5 reported cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome after receipt of Menactra. (10-2005)

This page was last updated on April 28, 2011