Experimental Vaccine May Guard Against Meningitis in Infants
Babies under the age of one are especially susceptible to meningitis. They have the highest rates of infection, but the currently-existing vaccine cannot be used on them. It is restricted to children over two.
However, an experimental vaccine called Menveo may be effective in these infants. Here is what experts have to say about it:
The vaccine was about 94% effective when given in four doses, one at 2 months, 3 months, 4 months and 12 months — a dosing schedule that fits into standard vaccination programs in the U.K., says study author Matthew Snape, a pediatrician at the University of Oxford.When given in three doses, one each at 2 months, 4 months and 12 months — the standard pattern for shots in the USA — the vaccine was 86% to 100% effective, providing more protection against some strains of the bacteria than others, Snape says.
If approved, a meningococcal vaccine could prevent half of the roughly 300 cases of meningococcal meningitis in babies under 2, says Amanda Cohn, a pediatrician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
