What is meningococcal vaccination?
Meningococci are bacteria and can cause dangerous infections. These include meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) and sepsis (meningococcal sepsis). Meningococci occur worldwide, but there are different types, the so-called serogroups.
In Germany, mainly types B and C occur, but there are also 10 other known serogroups that occur in other regions of the world. Since the infection, especially with meningococcus C, often takes a very serious course, a single vaccination in the second year of life is recommended. This should prevent meningococcal meningitis or blood poisoning and minimize the risk of infection by the bacterium.
What does meningococcal vaccination protect against?
Vaccination against meningococcus serogroup C recommended by the Standing Committee on Vaccination is intended to protect against severe and fatal meningococcal infections. These include meningitis and meningococcal sepsis. In the body of vaccinated persons, antibodies against the bacteria are formed, which become active immediately upon contact with the real bacteria and can destroy them by the immune system. However, meningococcal meningitis caused by other pathogens cannot be prevented by vaccination against meningococcus.
Who should be vaccinated against meningococcus?
Since 2006, there has been a recommendation of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) to vaccinate against meningococcus serogroup C. This vaccination should be administered once in the second year of life and is valid for all children, provided that there is no underlying disease that makes vaccination impossible. In addition to the vaccination against meningococcus C, it is also possible to vaccinate against the serogroups A, C, W and Y, which are only rarely found in Germany, but can cause epidemics in parts of Africa. However, there is no general vaccination recommendation; instead, only special groups of people should be vaccinated.
These include: People who want to travel to affected countries People who come into contact with infected persons or work with potentially infected material, e.g. in laboratories People who have a weak immune system and therefore a more serious course of disease would be expected Meanwhile, vaccination against meningococcus B is also possible, which, like meningococcus C, occurs in Germany. However, there are no vaccination recommendations yet. Only a vaccination of immunocompromised persons is currently being discussed.
- People who want to travel to affected countries
- People who come into contact with sick people or work with potentially infected material, e.g. in laboratories
- People who have a weak immune system and who are therefore expected to have a more severe course of disease
In general, it should be noted that persons who are allergic to any of the ingredients of the vaccine should not be given it. This also applies accordingly to the meningococcal vaccination. The second important contraindication for a vaccination is a feverish infection with fever above 38.5°C.
In this case, it is advisable to wait until the patient has recovered and then be vaccinated. According to STIKO, there are no other real contraindications for meningococcal vaccination. Since it is not a live vaccine, immunocompromised people can also be vaccinated.
In this case, however, the success of the vaccination may be limited. It is recommended to check the antibodies formed in the blood after vaccination to verify the effect of the vaccination. The STIKO has also issued a number of so-called “false contraindications”.
These include, for example, mild infections with subfebrile temperatures (<38.5°C), seizures in the family or febrile convulsions of the person to be vaccinated, current treatment with antibiotics or pregnancy of the mother of the person to be vaccinated. In these cases it is usually still possible to carry out the vaccination. However, the attending physician will inform you about this in each case.