Epidemiology and prevention of meningococcal disease: a critical appraisal of vaccine policies

摘要

Background: Meningococcal disease is characterized by a marked variation in incidence and serogroup distribution by region and over time. In several European countries, Canada and Australia, immunization programs, including universal vaccination of infants or toddlers, with catch-up campaigns in children and adolescents, aimed at controlling disease caused by meningococcal serogroup C, have been successful in reducing disease incidence through direct and indirect protection. More recently, meningococcal conjugate vaccines targeting disease caused by serogroups A, C, W135 and Y have been licensed and are being used in adolescent programs in the USA and Canada.