Five Years of Success for Meningococcal B Vaccination Program

Since the implementation of South Australia's publicly funded Meningococcal B vaccination program in 2018, the incidence of meningococcal B disease has significantly decreased by over 70%. This comprehensive immunization initiative targeted infants under four years old, as well as teenagers between 15 and 20 years, resulting in the administration of more than 525,755 doses of the 4CMenB vaccine. Professor Helen Marshall from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute reports that the cases among children less than a year old fell by 73%, and among adolescents aged 15-18, by 76% during this period.

Meningococcal B is a prevalent strain of bacterial meningitis, which can be deadly or cause permanent disabilities in about 20% of those infected. The data indicates that in the first five years of the program, 19 infant cases and 20 adolescent cases were prevented, including approximately three deaths, sparing many families from devastating losses.

The vaccine's effectiveness is high, with over 98% efficacy in children who completed all three doses and 92% in adolescents with two doses. Despite the success, some cases have still occurred, mainly among partially vaccinated individuals or those not vaccinated at all. Notably, 85% of adolescent cases involved unvaccinated individuals, emphasizing the importance of full immunization.

Beyond meningococcal disease, the vaccination program appears to impact gonorrhea prevalence due to the genetic similarity between the bacteria. Research shows about 39% effectiveness against gonorrhea after two doses, though the protection wanes over time, suggesting booster doses may be beneficial.

The findings underscore the importance of completing the vaccination course to ensure optimal protection, particularly for vulnerable groups like infants and young adults. Ongoing research aims to determine the best strategies for booster doses to sustain protection against both meningococcal B and gonorrhea.

This success story demonstrates the critical role of targeted vaccination programs in controlling infectious diseases and highlights the potential for these vaccines to reduce mortality and disability associated with bacterial infections.