Promising Developments: An Enhanced Meningitis Vaccine May Be on the Horizon

Microscopic image of Neisseria meningitidis taken from Geelong Medical Group

Independent U.S. advisers on Wednesday proposed a new vaccination. A more thorough defense against meningitis might be offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Five kinds of bacteria that cause meningococcal illness would be protected by the injection, one more than is now included in a single vaccination, according to CNN.

The advice is being considered by the CDC.

Patti Wukovits, whose 17-year-old daughter Kimberly Coffey succumbed to meningitis in June 2012, is happy to hear that. “Our whole world changed,” Wukovits told CNN. “Not a day or an hour goes by that I don’t actually think about her. She is constantly on my mind. Kimberly had received the MenACWY vaccination, which offers defense against four prevalent bacterial strains.

However, the injection didn’t include meningitis B, which is what caused her death. There was no vaccination for that particular strain of germs at the time to protect her. That particular strain of bacteria is now protected by the MenB vaccination.

According to CNN, Pfizer has a new meningococcal vaccine called Penbraya.

The new vaccination, which needs CDC clearance, would be for healthy 16 to 23-year-olds as well as those who have higher risks who are 10 and older. It comes in two doses that are given six months apart.

According to a statement from Pfizer, Dr. Luis Jodar, chief medical affairs officer for vaccines, antivirals, and evidence generation, “Penbraya, the first FDA-approved 5-in-1 meningococcal vaccine, provides adolescents and young adults in the U.S. with the most complete protection available against the leading causes of meningococcal disease.”

Penbraya, he continued, might aid in streamlining a complicated immunization program.

According to a CDC presentation to the advisory group, just 30% of 17-year-olds currently receive one dosage. Dr. Matt Daley, a committee member and senior scientist at Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s Institute for Health Research, stated that complexity had drawbacks. A unanimous decision was made to include the vaccine in the administration’s Vaccines for Children plan after the advisory council voted 10 to 4 to endorse the injection, according to CNN.

Dr. Kathy Poehling, a committee member and professor of pediatrics, epidemiology, and prevention at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was one of those who voted against the measure. She insisted that it wasn’t for lack of belief in the vaccination.

“We are aware that the immunizations being given have had a very positive impact. Furthermore, there is still plenty to discover, Poehling said to CNN. “I wanted to support a somewhat larger proposal; therefore, I voted no. I accept my colleagues’ opinions and think there will be much more discussion on meningococcal vaccines in the future.

Meningitis is a component of meningococcal illness. Although rare, it can infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can result in death or serious health issues for the rest of one’s life. Septicemia, a dangerous blood infection, can also result from it.

According to CNN, 10% of meningitis infections result in death. If the illness is discovered very early on, antibiotics can assist. Fever, headache, nausea, or vomiting, difficulty waking up, stiff neck, skin rash, sensitivity to light, and cognitive fog are among the symptoms. One in twenty instances is linked to an epidemic. When individuals live close together, such as on college campuses, this might occur.

Meningococcal Disease: A Concern for Preteens, Teens, and Young Adults

More information about meningococcal disease is posted by The American Academy of Pediatrics. According to them, meningococcal disease is a rare, serious illness caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.

Through intimate contact, such as kissing or coughing, the germs are generally passed from person to person through their saliva (spit). Within a short period of time, the infection might turn fatal. Thus, knowing how to defend yourself is crucial.

Meningococcal illness can affect anyone. However, some people are more vulnerable. Between the ages of 16 and 23, this encompasses teenagers and young adults. Meningococcal illness, for instance, may be more common in new military recruits and first-year college students because it spreads fast in crowded living environments like dorms and barracks.

Teenagers and young adults are not the only group at higher risk for meningococcal disease. Infants whose immune systems are still growing and who are less than one year old, those who take specific drugs or have illnesses that compromise their immune systems, and travelers to destinations and occasions with high meningococcal illness prevalence, as in the northern regions of sub-Saharan Africa and pilgrims performing the Hajj, can all be at risk.

Two meningococcal vaccinations are available. They aid in preventing all but one of the most prevalent Neisseria meningitidis strains—types A, B, C, W, and Y—that are known to cause meningococcal illness globally. The most common forms of infection in the US are types B, C, and Y.

All children between the ages of 11 and 12 are advised to get the meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MenACWY), with a booster dose administered at the age of 16. You don’t need a booster if you had your first dosage at or after the age of 16. Any person with specific medical issues who is 2 months of age or older and receives the MenACWY vaccination is also advised.

For those 10 years of age and older who have a higher risk of contracting meningococcal B infections, the meningococcal B vaccination (MenB) is advised. Additionally, anyone between the ages of 16 and 23 may choose to receive the vaccination for transient meningococcal B protection. 16 to 18 years old is the optimum age range.