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In June, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices added HIV-infected infants, children, and adults to the list of those who should receive routine meningococcal vaccination. A new report outlines the rationale behind this decision.
Surveillance data indicate that HIV infection confers an additional 5- to 24-fold risk of meningococcal disease compared to that of an uninfected person, with risk increased by low CD4 counts or high viral loads. Prognosis of meningococcal disease is not reliably worsened by HIV. The antibody titers elicited by conjugate vaccine in HIV-infected people vary considerably by meningococcal serogroups and are lower with HIV-related immunocompromise. In one study, even boosted vaccine failed to elicit protec…