Group B Meningococcal Vaccine: Effective in Young Children

Licensing of the meningococcal group B vaccine (4CMenB) was based on immunogenicity data. In Spain, the 4CMenB vaccine is available through the public vaccine program to all children with high-risk medical conditions and by purchase for children not at risk for meningococcal disease. To estimate vaccine effectiveness in children aged 6–60 months, investigators enrolled 306 meningococcal disease cases (79.8% serogroup B) and 1224 region- and age-matched controls between 2015 and 2019. Vaccination status and baseline characteristics were reviewed with electronic medical records and Neisseria meningitidis isolates were genetically characterized.

Disease presentation was meningitis in 33.3% of cases, sepsis in 38.6%, and meningitis and sepsis in…