Meningoccocal meningitis A and C

Meningococcal infection is caused by bacteria Neisseria meningitis. It is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis among children and teenagers. Meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord surroundings. Meningococcal disease causes blood infection. This serious infection may lead to life long handicap or death in spite of antibiotical treatment. Anyone can get meningococcal infection. Infants, teenagers, young adults and people with certain medical conditions have an increased risk. Neisseria meningitis has 13 clinically significant groups. Five groups, A, B, C, Y and W135 are responsible for virtually all cases of the disease in humans. There is currently no effective vaccine for serogroup B, although a putative vaccine is currently undergoing clinical trials. Commonly used vaccines provide protection against meningococcal infection type A and C. Vaccine against types A and C is available as Meningococcal polys. A+C vaccine. Vaccine against type C is available as Menjugate and Neisvac-C.

Meningococcal vaccine:
Three meningococcal vaccine are available in Czech republic:

MENINGOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE A+C
- it protect against meningococcal infection of type A and C
- it is not recommended for kids younger than 24 months
- its protection is short-term, so booster doses every 3 years is required
- only 1 dose is necessary for protection
- for subcutaneous or intramuscular application

MENJUGATE
- it can prevent meningococcal disease, type C /no type A/
- it can protect every child older than 2 months
- its protection is long-term, no booster is required
- for children younger than 12 months of age 3-doses series are needed with interval between doses at least 1 month long
- for children older than 12 months of age and adults only 1 doses needed
- for intramuscular application

NEISVAC-C
- it protect from type C meningococcal disease /no type A/
- it can protect every child older than 2 months
- its protection is long-term, no booster is required
- for children younger than 12 months of age 2-doses series. The second dose is possible to apply 2 months after the first one, no sooner
- for children older than 12 months of age and adults is only 1 dose needed
- for intramuscular application