This document reviews the meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccination programme and its impact in the invasive disease due to Neisseria meningitidis epidemiology in Spain. The current evidence available about protection offered by conjugated vaccines and its persistence has been taken into account.
The objective of the present review is to reach a consensus on the vaccination schedule against serogroup C meningococcal disease.
The evidence available shows that persistence of sera antibodies and herd immunity are key to long-term control of meningococcal disease. In Spain, the introduction of meningococcal conjugate vaccines has had a gradual drop effect in the incidence of invasive disease by this microorganism but it is difficult to know the actual state of herd immunity with the available information.
In order to maintain the herd immunity and the interruption in transmission the introduction of a dose in the adolescence at the same time of removal of a dose in infancy is recommended.The vaccination scheme will be as follows: one dose at 4 months, one dose at 12 months and one dose at 11-12 years of age.
This new vaccination schedule will be implemented starting on 1 January 2014 as stated in the Recommendations section of this document.
- Recommendation
- Europe
- Spain
- Meningococcal disease
