Loading...
Meningococcal infections are rare but can have devastating outcomes. A polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine was licensed in 1981, and a conjugate vaccine covering four serotypes (A, C, Y, and W1-35) was recommended in 2005 for routine immunization of children starting at age 11 years. Outbreaks on several college campuses in 2013 and 2014 led to the development and licensure of two vaccines that also provide coverage for the less immunogenic serotype B (Trumenba and Bexsero).
Because serogroup B meningococcal disease is rare (approximately 60 cases and 2–5 deaths in U.S. adolescents per year), an estimated three-quarters of a million 16-year-olds would need to be vaccinated — at significant cost — to prevent 28 cases and 5 deaths per year. M…