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Review

Review of meningococcal vaccines with updates on immunization in adults

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Pages 995-1007 | Received 03 Nov 2013, Accepted 06 Jan 2014, Published online: 05 Feb 2014

Abstract

Meningococcal disease is a serious and global life-threatening disease. Six serogroups (A, B, C, W-135, X, and Y) account for the majority of meningococcal disease worldwide. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines were introduced several decades ago and have led to the decline in the burden of disease. However, polysaccharide vaccines have several limitations, including poor immunogenicity in infants and toddlers, short-lived protection, lack of immunologic memory, negligible impact on nasopharyngeal carriage, and presence of hyporesponsiveness after repeated doses. The chemical conjugation of plain polysaccharide vaccines has the potential to overcome these drawbacks. Meningococcal conjugate vaccines include the quadrivalent vaccines (MenACWY-DT, MenACWY-CRM, and MenACWY-TT) as well as the monovalent A and C vaccines. These conjugate vaccines were shown to elicit strong immune response in adults.

This review addresses the various aspects of meningococcal disease, the limitations posed by polysaccharide vaccines, the different conjugate vaccines with their immunogenicity and reactogenicity in adults, and the current recommendations in adults.

Introduction

N meningitidis is a gram-negative, aerobic diplococcal bacterium, and member of the family Neisseriaceae.Citation1,Citation2 There are at least 13 serogroups of N meningitidis based on the immunochemistry of the polysaccharide capsule.Citation3 Globally, 6 serogroups (A, B, C, W-135, X, and Y) account for over 90% of cases of meningococcal disease.Citation4N meningitidis is a commensal organism in the human nasopharynx and is pathogenic only in humans.Citation1 It most commonly causes asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage and rarely leads to invasive disease.Citation5 It is transmitted by direct contact with saliva or inhalation of large-droplet inocula.Citation6,Citation7

History

Epidemic meningitis was first described in Geneva during 1805 then in Massachusetts over the following year.Citation8 In 1887, the organism was first isolated by Weichselbaum and was named Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis.Citation9 In 1913, serum therapy (intrathecal injection of equine anti-serum) was shown to reduce mortality associated with meningococcal meningitis but was then replaced by sulfonamide therapy in 1937.Citation8-Citation10 However, the subsequent appearance of sulfa-resistant meningococci in 1963 led to the preference of β-lactams and the development of polysaccharide vaccines against N meningitidis.Citation3,Citation5

Epidemiology

N meningitidis has become the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children beyond the neonatal period and in young adults due to reduction in the incidence of S pneumoniae and Hib infections achieved by the introduction of conjugate vaccines against these pathogens.Citation11,Citation12 Among the different pathogens causing bacterial meningitis, it is the sole bacterium capable of generating large outbreaks of meningitis.Citation13 Approximately 500 000 cases of invasive meningococcal disease occur annually worldwide, resulting in more than 50 000 deaths.Citation14 The rate of meningococcal disease peaks in infancy and then shows a smaller peak in late adolescence.Citation12,Citation15 Epidemics are usually characterized by the predominance of a single meningococcal serogroup, higher incidence rates, and a shift toward older age groups.Citation16 Epidemics occur more frequently during winter and spring in temperate areas and during the dry season in tropical areas.Citation17 Around 97–98% of cases of meningococcal disease are sporadic and do not occur in the context of outbreaks.Citation18,Citation19 Despite advances in prompt diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy, the case-fatality rate is 10–15%.Citation3 Permanent sequelae occur in up to 20% of survivors (e.g., neurodevelopmental disabilities, hearing loss, visual impairment, seizure disorder, skin scarring, and amputation).Citation5,Citation20 Disease incidence and serogroup distribution vary significantly among different geographic locations.Citation21

North America

The rate of meningococcal meningitis in the United States has dropped from 16–59 per 100 000 in 1930 to around 0.3 per 100 000 between 2005 and 2011.Citation9,Citation18 Even before the implementation of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine in 2005, the annual incidence of meningococcal disease started to decline.Citation18 In the mid-1990s, serogroup Y had emerged to become major disease-causing isolate in the United States.Citation2 Serogroups B, C, and Y dominate in the United States, each accounting for approximately one-third of cases, with B predominant among young infants less than 1 y and C, W, and Y predominant among persons older than 11 y.Citation22

Europe

The incidence of meningococcal disease throughout Europe varies from 0.3 per 100 000 in Italy to 0.6 per 100 000 in France and 3.6 per 100 000 in England and Wales.Citation14 Serogroup B is the most common disease-causing isolate in industrialized countries, particularly in Europe.Citation8 The incidence of meningococcal C disease showed a dramatic decline in all European countries that have implemented routine MCC vaccination.Citation23 Overall, the incidence of meningococcal disease in Europe has declined from 1.9 per 100 000 in 1999 to 0.92 per 100 000 in 2009.Citation24

Africa

In 1963, Lapeysonnie described the “meningitis belt” of sub-Saharan Africa in which occurs the greatest burden of meningococcal disease worldwide.Citation10 This region compromises 22 countries, stretching from Ethiopia in the east to Senegal in the west.Citation25 The incidence rate in the “meningitis bet” can exceed 1% of the population during epidemics.Citation26 The largest epidemic occurred in 1996–1997 with >25 000 resulting deaths.Citation26 Large epidemics occur mainly during the dry season (from December to June).Citation27

Meningococcal A disease is a public health concern in the “meningitis belt” and other developing countries.Citation28 Following the introduction of meningococcal A conjugate vaccine in the “meningitis belt,” there was an epidemiologic shift in the predominant circulating serogroup from A to W-135, although the total number of meningococcal cases has dramatically decreased.Citation25 Over the past years, serogroup X has also led to several local outbreaks in other parts of Africa.Citation26,Citation29

Asia

Serogroup A has historically been responsible for epidemics, most recently in India and the Philippines in 2005 and possibly in Bangladesh between 2002 and 2004.Citation30 Moreover, other serogroups have caused local outbreaks, including serogroup C in China since 2002, serogroup W-135 in Singapore in 2000–2001, and serogroup Y in Taiwan between 2001 and 2003Citation30. Since 1984, there was a shift in serogroup predominance from A to C in China, probably due to the introduction of meningococcal A polysaccharide vaccine.Citation24

Annually, over 2 million Muslim pilgrims visit the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during a short period of time, around one week, called the Hajj. An outbreak related to serogroup A occurred during the 1987 Hajj season.Citation31 Serogroup A vaccine was then required in 1988 for all pilgrims for entry into Saudi Arabia.Citation32 Serogroup W-135 was the predominant pathogen in subsequent outbreaks during 2000 and 2001.Citation32-Citation34 Pilgrims had acquired W-135 nasopharyngeal carriage or disease and imported the serogroup to their household contacts in their home countries.Citation35 Fortunately, no further outbreaks have occurred due to the shift in vaccination to the quadrivalent (A, C, W-135, and Y) polysaccharide vaccine as a Hajj visa requirement in 2002.Citation31,Citation36,Citation37

Australia and New Zealand

Serogroups B and C predominate in Australia with a prolonged serogroup B epidemic in New Zealand during the 1990s.Citation3 In the mid-1990s, there were a rise in cases of meningococcal C disease in Australia.Citation26 As a result of the introduction of MCC in Australia in 2003, the incidence of meningococcal C disease dropped from 1.15 per 100 000 in 2002 to 0.07 per 100 000 in 2009.Citation24 Disease incidence has also declined in New Zealand from 13 per 100 000 during 1996–2003 to 2.6 per 100 000 in 2007 due to the introduction of meningococcal B vaccine in 2004.Citation26

Risk Factors

The risk of invasive meningococcal disease is dependent on organism, host, and environmental factors.

Organism

The polysaccharide capsule helps the bacterium evade opsonization, phagocytosis, and complement-mediated bacteriolysis.Citation38 Non-capsulate mutants of N meningitidis are serum sensitive and non-virulent.Citation7,Citation8,Citation39 Encapsulated strains are pathogenic and cause increased incidence of morbidity and mortality in a population.Citation18

Host factors

Factors that impair integrity of nasopharyngeal mucosa and lead to invasive disease include recent Mycoplasma pneumoniae or viral upper respiratory tract infection and both active and passive smoking.Citation40 Disease rates are higher among black and poor persons in the United States, although race and socioeconomic status are likely to be markers for other risk factors (e.g., smoking, household crowding, and urban residence).Citation2,Citation18 Patients who have complement component deficiency (e.g., C3 and C5-C9) are also prone for recurrent invasive meningococcal disease, often with unusual capsular strains.Citation41 Although patients with anatomical or functional asplenia appear to be at increased risk for meningococcal disease, the data are less compelling than that of their increased risk for pneumococcal disease.Citation18 HIV does not appear to be an independent risk factor for meningococcal infection even if the rate of meningococcal disease is elevated in HIV patients.Citation18,Citation42,Citation43

Environmental factors

Crowded living conditions (such as in college dormitories, military camps, or Hajj pilgrimage) and close and prolonged contact (such as kissing, sneezing, or coughing) increase person-to-person transmission, and thus the risk of invasive disease.Citation27,Citation28 The current risk of meningococcal disease among US military members is comparable to background levels due to the adoption of meningococcal vaccination in the military.Citation44 Travelers to regions where meningococcal disease is epidemic or hyperendemic, such as sub-Saharan Africa or Saudi Arabia, are also at increased risk.Citation37,Citation45 Other groups at risk are microbiology laboratory workers routinely exposed to live cultures of N meningitidis.Citation46 Health care workers are not in general considered as high-risk individuals unless they are exposed to the respiratory secretions of patients with meningococcal disease.Citation18,Citation47

Pathogenesis

N meningitidis may cause asymptomatic colonization in the nasopharynx or result in invasive disease.

Colonization

The rate of nasopharyngeal carriage increases throughout childhood to reach a peak in 19-y-old individuals (23.7%) then declines into older adulthood.Citation48 More than 50% of the strains isolated from asymptomatic carriers lack capsules and are not serogroupable.Citation21 Colonization is a natural immunizing event by which carriers develop SBA against pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of N meningitidis.Citation49 Following meningococcal A polysaccharide vaccination, persistence of group A SBA titers was more evident in Sudanese vaccinees compared with North American vaccinees due to the higher rate of serogroup A carriage in Sudan.Citation50

Invasion

In most cases, invasion occurs 1–14 d after colonization with a novel meningococcal strain.Citation8 Bacterial adhesion to the mucosal cells of the nasopharynx is facilitated by adhesins, which include pili and opacity-associated proteins.Citation2,Citation3 This is followed by endothelial phagocytosis and then invasion into the bloodstream.Citation42 SBA or cross-reactive antibodies directed at the polysaccharide capsule may preclude further disease progression.Citation12 Adolescents and young adults who failed to form antibodies against N meningitidis during their childhood are especially at risk in the second peak of meningococcal disease.Citation12 Goldschneider et al. showed that most military recruits who acquired meningococcal disease were deficient in antibodies against the pathogenic strains of N meningitidis.Citation51

In the absence of host immunity, the infection can result in any of these clinical syndromes: meningitis, meningococcemia (petechiae, purpura, adrenal hemorrhage), pneumonia, and other infections (pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, endophthalmitis, pericarditis, myocarditis, arthritis, urethritis, and epididymitis).Citation5,Citation12,Citation52,Citation53

Diagnosis

Although isolation of N meningitidis from a normally sterile fluid (e.g., blood or CSF) is the gold standard for diagnosis of meningococcal disease, the sensitivity of culture might be decreased, especially in antibiotic-pretreated patients.Citation1,Citation2,Citation19 Polymerase chain reaction has the ability to detect serogroup-specific meningococcal DNA and does not require viable organisms.Citation2,Citation8 Since meningococcal disease can be severe, it is critical to start treatment as soon as infection is suspected without delays in laboratory confirmation.Citation22

Treatment

Penicillin and ampicillin are the first-line treatment for N meningitidis.Citation11,Citation52,Citation54 Alternatively, extended-spectrum cephalosorins (ceftriaxone or cefotaxime) can be used in case of resistance or uncertain diagnosis.Citation52,Citation54,Citation55 Although few studies have described reduced susceptibility to penicillin, the clinical significance remains unclear.Citation11 In addition, patients with poor prognostic signs might need hemodynamic resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, as indicated, in a fully equipped critical care facility.Citation6,Citation52

Antimicrobial Prophylaxis

In order to prevent secondary cases, chemoprophylaxis should be given to close contacts ideally <24 h and not >14 d after identification of an index case.Citation56 In a Cochrane review, ceftriaxone, rifampin and ciprofloxacin were the most effective antibiotics for eradication of N meningitidis from the nasopharynx.Citation57 Rifampin is usually the drug of choice, but in view of circulation of resistant strains, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone are recommended.Citation57 Unlike ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone is safe in children and pregnant women.Citation57,Citation58 Since fluoroquinolone resistance was reported in the United States in 2008, the CDC recommends the use of ceftriaxone, rifampin, and azithromycin to eradicate carriage in areas where resistance has been identified.Citation47

Meningococcal Vaccines

There are three types of meningococcal vaccines available:

1) MPV which are available in bivalent (A and C), trivalent (A, C and W-135), and tetravalent (A, C, W-135 and Y) formulations

2) MCV which are available as movovalent (A or C) and tetravalent (A, C, W-135, and Y)

3) Vaccines against serogroup B using OMV preparationsCitation27

Polysaccharide Vaccines ()

Table 1. Meningococcal quadrivalent vaccinesCitation18,Citation101,Citation145

Background

In the 1970s, the first MPV were developed against serogroups A and C (MACP) in response to meningitis epidemics among military recruits in the United States.Citation13,Citation59 In 2003, the emergence of serogroup W-135 in the “meningitis belt” prompted the development of trivalent then tetravalent polysaccharide vaccines.Citation13 Until mid-2000, the only available quadrivalent meningococcal vaccines were non-conjugated polysaccharide vaccines manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur (Menomune) and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (Mencevax).Citation47,Citation60

Immunogenicity and effectiveness

During late 1960s, the introduction of meningococcal C polysaccharide vaccine into US army recruits reduced the rate of meningococcal C disease by 89.5%.Citation61 In a study conducted in Texas, MPV-4 had an efficacy of 85% in reducing the rate of meningococcal C disease in a population aged 2–29 y.Citation62 In a Cochrane review, the efficacy of meningococcal A polysaccharide vaccine was 95% in adults and children above 5 y.Citation63 In general, MPV has over 85% efficacy against serogroups A and C in school-age children and adults.Citation64,Citation65 Vaccination with W-135 and Y polysaccharides induces the production of SBA, although clinical protection has not been documented.Citation66,Citation67 Shao et al. showed that MPV-4 is immunogenic against all four serogroups in at least 93% of young adults in Taiwan.Citation64 Although no difference in SBA titers was detected in adults receiving either MACP or corresponding conjugate vaccine, antibodies in the polysaccharide group had lower bacteriolysis ability and were less effective in conferring passive immunity than those in the conjugate group.Citation68 The antibody response to each of the four polysaccharides is serogroup-specific and independent.Citation66

Limitations

Although serogroup A polysaccharide provides some immunity as early as 3 mo of age, serogroup C polysaccharide is poorly immunogenic in children <18–24 mo.Citation69 Other shortcomings of MPV include short-lived protection, lack of immunologic memory, negligible impact on nasopharyngeal carriage, and presence of hyporesponsiveness after repeated doses.Citation59

Duration of protection

Polysaccharides are T-cell-independent antigens that stimulate B lymphocytes.Citation65 This humoral response is short-lived and does not possess an anamnestic response, explaining the relatively short duration of protection and lack of immunologic memory of MPV.Citation61,Citation65 Thus, repeat vaccination is required every 3–5 y, but this might induce hyporesponsiveness.Citation70 In infants and young children, antibody concentrations against serogroup A and C polysaccharides decrease during the first 2–3 y after polysaccharide vaccine has been administered.Citation71,Citation72 Although antibodies can still be detected up to 10 y in healthy adults, their ability to neutralize the invading organism may decrease with time.Citation39 In a study conducted on 20 laboratory staff workers who are regularly exposed to N meningitidis and who previously received MPV-4, the average duration of SBA titers to the 4 serogroups exceeded 10 y.Citation46 However, about 23% of adults may not retain immunity against serogroup W-135 for 5 y, the time suggested for a repeat dose.Citation46

Hyporesponsiveness

Hyporesponsiveness refers to the reduction of the antibody response with repeated doses of MPV as compared with the initial dose.Citation59,Citation73,Citation74 Lashkman et al. showed that administration of MACP booster dose induced hyporesponsiveness to serogroup C following polysaccharide primary dose.Citation75 In 2 other studies, re-immunization with MACP induced hyporesponsiveness to serogroup C, but MCC overcame this hyporesponsiveness.Citation76,Citation77 A study conducted in Saudi Arabia showed hyporesponsiveness to serogroup C but a boosted response for serogroup A with repeated exposures to MACP.Citation62 Similarly, MPV-4 induced hyporesponsiveness to serogroup C in healthy adults previously immunized with MPV-4 as compared with subjects who were either vaccine-naive or primed with MenACWY-CRM.Citation78 The antibody response of serogroup C to MCC is also decreased after use of polysaccharide vaccine.Citation79,Citation80

Hyporesponsiveness is clearly documented for polysaccharide C, but only limited data exists for other serogroups. Borrow et al. showed hyporesponsiveness to polysaccharide A following revaccination with MACP.Citation81 However, revaccination with MACP was still protective as the post-revaccination SBA titer for group A was higher than that in naïve subjects.Citation81 Initial MPV-4 immunization also induced hyporesponsiveness to all four serogroups following a subsequent dose of MenACWY-TT in subjects aged 4.5–34 y, although the response remained protective.Citation82

Both natural immunity from exposure to N meningitis or cross-reacting bacteria as well as vaccination with MCV induce a T-cell response and thus the development of memory B cells.Citation47,Citation74 Upon exposure to a polysaccharide antigen, these primed B cells are terminally differentiated into antibody-producing plasma cells without regenerating this lymphocyte population.Citation47,Citation74 Unless the B-cell pool is re-expanded by exposure to a T-dependent antigen, revaccination with MPV leads to a further decrease in antibody response.Citation83 A previous dose of meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine may, therefore, predispose to meningococcal disease with subsequent doses of plain or conjugate vaccine. However, this theoretical increase in disease susceptibility lacks clinical trial data.Citation84

Carriage

Since acquisition of nasopharyngeal carriage is not substantially reduced with MPV, person-to-person transmission of N meningitidis via respiratory route is not interrupted, and thus, herd immunity cannot be provided in the unvaccinated population.Citation34,Citation85,Citation86 Hassan-King at al. found that a national vaccination campaign with MACP following an outbreak during 1982–1983 in the African Gambia had little influence on the rate of nasopharyngeal carriage of serogroup A.Citation86 Following the Hajj-related outbreak of meningococcal disease in the United States during 1987, the rate of serogroup A carriage also did not appear to be different between vaccinated and unvaccinated pilgrims returning to their home country.Citation85 Similarly, MPV-4 did not influence the acquisition of serogroup W-135 in Turkish Hajj pilgrims as well in their household contacts.Citation87 On the contrary, meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine was effective in preventing colonization in Kuwait pilgrims.Citation88 However, these pilgrims were required to take one dose of ciprofloxacin, which eradicates nasopharyngeal carriage.Citation88

A systemic review in 2007 showed that MPV had a positive impact on the rate of nasopharyngeal carriage in high-risk individuals, such as military recruits, at least for a limited period of time.Citation84 On the other hand, most studies in the low-risk population showed that MPV had negligible impact on colonization.Citation84 The reduction of nasopharyngeal carriage seems to be greatest for enclosed populations such as military recruits and lowest for open populations such as sub-Saharan Africa.Citation47

Safety

Most of the adverse events related to MPV are usually mild.Citation89 The most commonly reported events are tenderness and erythema at the injection site lasting for 1–2 d.Citation47,Citation89,Citation90 Transient low-grade fever occurs in <5% of vaccinees.Citation47 Severe adverse events include allergic reactions, seizures, and paresthesias but occur in a small percentage of recipients (<0.1 per 100 000 doses).Citation91

Glycoconjugate Vaccines

Background

In the 1970s, multiple studies demonstrated that polysaccharide antigen is poorly immunogenic in children <2 y of age.Citation12 Due to the high incidence of disease caused by N meningitidis, S pneumonia, and Hib in these children, a different type of vaccine was needed.Citation12 Hib and S pneumoniae conjugate vaccines were first introduced in 1990 and 2000, respectively, for mass immunization of infants in the United States and had dramatically reduced the incidence of disease caused by these pathogens.Citation12 Chemical conjugation of Hib and S pneumoniae antigens to carrier proteins converted T-cell independent polysaccharides into T-cell dependent antigens, allowing development of memory B cells and consequent anamnestic responses.Citation61

Diphteria toxoid, non-toxic mutant of diphtheria toxin (CRM197), and tetanus toxoid have been used as protein moieties for meningococcal vaccines.Citation61

Advantages

Unlike MPV, MCV are immunogenic in infancy (the age group with the highest incidence of meningococcal disease), induce higher levels of SBA, provide long-lasting protection, reduce the rate of nasopharyngeal colonization, provide herd immunity, and do not induce hyporesponsiveness after repeated dosages.Citation4,Citation12,Citation63 In other words, MCV have the potential to overcome the limitations of MPV.

Meningococcal C Conjugate Vaccine ()

Table 2. Meningococcal monovalent C vaccinesCitation16,Citation19,Citation95

Background

Based on the successful experience with Hib and S pneumoniae conjugate vaccines, MCC was developed and evaluated in several clinical trials in response to the increased incidence of meningococcal C disease in the 1990s.Citation61,Citation92 MCC was first introduced into the routine immunization program in the United Kingdom in November 1999 as a three-dose series administered concomitantly with routine primary immunizations given at 2, 3, and 4 mo of age.Citation16 Observed waning of antibody titers within one year of vaccination has led the UK National Health Service in 2006 to recommend a booster dose of MCC in the second year of life.Citation65

Between November 1999 and December 2000, a catch-up campaign was targeted for all children >4 mo and <18 y of age.Citation16 Children 5–11 mo of age received two doses of MCC, and those from 1–18 y received one dose.Citation16 In 2002, the catch-up campaign was extended to include all adults <25 y of age.Citation93 As a result of this vaccination program, meningococcal C disease has fallen by >95% in the United Kingdom.Citation93 This is due to both individual direct protection and indirect protection by herd immunity.Citation93 This successful vaccine campaign experience in the United Kingdom encouraged other countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Australia, and Canada, to introduce MCC into their routine immunization schedules.Citation61 Surveillance in all age groups has suggested an effectiveness of 95% at 1 y, with significant waning over a period of 4 y.Citation70 MCC is available as MCC-TT (Neisvac-C) and MCC-CRM (Meningitec or Menjugate Kit).Citation94,Citation95

Safety

The majority of adverse events related to MCC is self-limiting and resolves within the follow-up period.Citation94,Citation96 Across all age groups, injection site reactions (including redness, swelling, and tenderness/pain) were very common.Citation94,Citation96 Transient injection site tenderness was reported in 70% of adults in clinical trials.Citation94,Citation96 Myalgia, artharlgia, headache, and somnolence were also commonly reported in adults.Citation94,Citation96

Quadrivalent Conjugate Vaccines ()

MenACWY-DT

Background

In January 2005, MenACWY-DT (Menactra), manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, was licensed by the US FDA for persons aged 11–55 y.Citation18 The FDA extended the age of vaccination in 2007 to include 2- to 10-y-old children, and in 2011, infants 9–23 mo of age were also included in the immunization schedule.Citation31 MenACWY-DT is approved as a two-dose series for children aged 9–23 mo and as a single dose in people aged 2–55 y.Citation60

Immunogenicity and effectiveness

In adults aged 18–55 y, non-inferiority of MenACWY-DT to MPV-4 was assessed by the similar proportion of participants with at least 4-fold rise in SBA titers against each of the 4 serogroups.Citation97 Studies for assessment of the duration of protection showed persistence of antibody titers against all vaccine serogroups at 3 y post-vaccination.Citation12,Citation65 Three years following revaccination with MenACWY-DT, antibody titers were higher among people primed with MenACWY-DT as compared with those primed with MPV-4.Citation12,Citation65 Five years following the introduction of MenACWY-DT for use in pre-adolescents in the United States, there was a significant reduction in the number of cases of serogroup C and Y disease among early adolescents (11–14 y) with a minimal reduction in older adolescents (15–18 y).Citation98 However, breakthrough cases of meningococcal disease were observed when MenACWY-DT was administered at 11–12 y of age because the vaccine did not provide protection for >5 y or throughout the full period of highest risk.Citation98 Almost 50% of the 11- to 18-y-old vaccinees had serum antibody concentrations similar to non-vaccinated people five years after receiving the vaccine.Citation98 The waning immunity and breakthrough cases underscored the need for booster vaccination in this age group.Citation98

Concomitant vaccinations

MenACWY-DT may decrease the antibody response to PCV13, and it is recommended (at least in the United States) that MenACWY-DT should be given ≥4 wk after completion of all PCV13 doses in patients with anatomic or functional asplenia due to their high risk for invasive pneumococcal disease.Citation99 Concomitant administration of MenACWY-DT with Td in adolescents aged 11–17 y or typhoid vaccine in adults aged 18–55 y did not affect the immunogenicity of either vaccine.Citation18

Safety

Documented local and systemic adverse reactions were similar or slightly higher for MenACWY-DT as compared with MPV-4.Citation9,Citation12 For example, reported pain that limited movement in the site of injection was higher in MenACWY-DT recipients (11–13%) as compared with 3% in MPV-4 recipients.Citation65 Fever of ≥100 °F was also more frequently observed with MenACWY-DT (2–5%) than MPV-4 (3%).Citation64

MenACWY-DT is contraindicated in case of severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) after a previous dose of a meningococcal capsular polysaccharide-, diphtheria toxoid- or CRM-containing vaccine, or to any component of MenACWY-DT.Citation97

In 2006, correlation between GBS and MenACWY-DT was studied after reporting 17 cases of GBS following MenACWY-DT vaccination.Citation65 The risk of GBS was estimated to be 0.4–1.3 per million doses, but the beneficial effect of MenACWY-DT in preventing invasive meningococcal disease was significantly higher than potential risks.Citation56 Persons previously diagnosed with GBS may be at increased risk of GBS following receipt of MenACWY-DT, and thus should not receive MenACWY-DT unless they are at high risk of meningococcal disease.Citation100

MenACWY-CRM

Background

In February 2010, MenACWY-CRM (Menveo), manufactured by Novartis Vaccines, was approved by the FDA for use in subjects 11–55 y of age.Citation18 Over the following year, the covered age group was extended to include 2- to 55-y-old individuals.Citation18 In August 2013, the ACIP extended its recommendation to 2- to 23 mo-old children who are considered at high risk for meningococcal disease.Citation101

Immunogenicity and effectiveness

Prior to licensure of MenACWY-CRM, a large-scale comparative trial in adults showed that both MenACWY-DT and MenACWY-CRM induced immune responses to serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y, with the post-vaccination antibody titers being consistently higher for MenACWY-CRM.Citation102 In 2010, Stamboulian et al. showed that healthy adults who received MenACWY-CRM had more robust immune responses to all four serogroups as compared with subjects who were vaccinated with either MenACWY-DT or MPV-4.Citation103

Concomitant vaccinations

Concomitant administration of MenACWY-CRM with other age-appropriate adult vaccines was studied by Gasparini et al., and it was shown that MenACWY-CRM did not affect the immune responses to diphtheria and tetanus antigens when Tdap was concomitantly administered.Citation104 In contrast, MenACWY-CRM appeared to moderately attenuate the immune responses to two out of three of the pertussis antigens.Citation104

Safety

Common solicited adverse reactions among adolescents and adults were pain at the injection site (41%), headache (30%), myalgia (18%), malaise (16%), and nausea (10%).Citation105 The reactogenicity profile and rates of adverse events among subjects aged 56–65 y who received MenACWY-CRM were similar to those observed in younger vaccinees aged 11–55 y.Citation106

It is contraindicated to administer MenACWY-CRM in case of severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of meningococcal vaccine, to any vaccine that contains DT or CRM, or to any component of MenACWY-CRM.Citation106

MenACWY-TT

Background

MenACWY-TT (Nimenrix), manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, is the first meningococcal quadrivalent conjugate vaccine to be approved in Europe in 2012 as a single dose for immunization of individuals from 12 mo of age.Citation107 This vaccine is unavailable in the United States. Tetanus toxoid was selected as a carrier protein based on the broad experience with Hib and MCC tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccines.Citation21

Immunogenicity and effectiveness

Phase II and III studies showed that a single dose of MenACWY-TT was highly immunogenic in toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults one month following vaccination.Citation108 MenACWY-TT showed non-inferiority to MPV-4 in terms of immunogenicity to the 4 serogroups in adults aged 18–55 y, with significantly higher antibody titers against serogroups A, W-135, and Y one month post-vaccination.Citation30,Citation109 In subjects 10–25 y of age, SBA titers were also higher for these 3 serogroups in recipients of MenACWY-TT compared with MenACWY-DT.Citation110 In late adolescents aged 15–19 y receiving either MenACWY-TT or MPV-4, SBA was consistently higher in the MenACWY-TT group.Citation110 In the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, MenACWY-TT also proved to be non-inferior to the licensed MPV-4 in terms of both immunogenicity and safety endpoints in a randomized controlled trial conducted in subjects aged 11–55 y.Citation111 The persistence of antibodies was evaluated in a study conducted by Ostergaard et al. where higher immunogenicity against serogroup W-135 at 42 mo (3.5 y) following vaccination was demonstrated in 15- to 19-y-old individuals who received MenACWY-TT as compared with MPV-4.Citation111 In fact, the immune response induced by MenACWY-TT against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y persists up to three years after vaccination.Citation112

Limited data are available about assessment of MCV use in adults aged >55 y. Dbaibo et al. demonstrated that a single dose of MenACWY-TT given to healthy adults ≥56 y induced a vaccine response rate ≥76% with ≥93% of vaccinees achieving rabbit SBA (rSBA) titers ≥1:128 against all four serogroups.Citation113 This is the first study that evaluated MenACWY-TT in an elderly population and is one of the few studies that provided information on immunogenicity of meningococcal conjugate vaccine in this age group.Citation113

Concomitant vaccinations

Co-administration of MenACWY-TT with seasonal influenza vaccine (Fluarix) in adults showed non-inferiority of antibody titers for all serogroups, except for serogroup C.Citation114 Overall, >97% of subjects had rSBA titers ≥1:128 one month following vaccination without affecting the response to influenza antigens.Citation114 These data support the co-administration of these two vaccines in adult travelers.Citation114 Infanrix hexa (DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine), Priorix tetra (MMR-Varicella combined vaccine), and Synflorix (PCV10) in toddlers aged 12–23 mo as well as Twinrix (combined hepatitis A and B vaccine) in adolescents aged 11–17 y did not affect the immunogenicity of the co-administered MenACWY TT.Citation110 Unlike Prevnar (PCV13), Infanrix hexa, Priorix tetra, ProQuad (a similar product as Priorix tetra but manufactured by Merck), and Synflorix are unavailable in the United States.

Safety

MenACWY-TT showed well-tolerated local and systemic solicited adverse events in toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults in all phase III trials.Citation60,Citation108 In adults, the most frequently reported local adverse events were pain (25.3%), redness (10.3%) and swelling (8.5%), and general adverse events were headache (15.8%) followed by fatigue (13%), gastrointestinal symptoms (4.7%), and fever (4%).Citation110 Studies in 10- to 25-y-old subjects receiving either MenACWY-TT or MenACWY-DT showed that pain and headache were the most commonly reported solicited local and general adverse events, respectively, occurring at a similar rate in both groups.Citation115 Both local and general solicited symptoms were reported in no more than 3% of vaccinees aged 56 y and older, with no serious adverse events related to vaccine.Citation113 MenACWY-TT showed greater local reactogenicity but similar rates of systemic symptoms when compared with a licensed polysaccharide vaccine in adults aged 18–55 y.Citation109 Finally, the acceptable safety profile of MenACWY-TT in healthy adults was not affected by co-administration with seasonal influenza vaccine.Citation114

Meningitis Vaccine Project ()

Table 3. Meningococcal monovalent A vaccineCitation25,Citation118

The WHO previously recommended the use of polysaccharide vaccines in the “meningitis belt” to control epidemics caused by different serogroups.Citation116 For many years, serogroup A was the predominant serogroup causing meningococcal epidemics in this part of the world. Due to the lack of progress in the introduction of the more effective meningococcal A conjugate vaccine, the Meningitis Vaccine Project, a partnership between the WHO and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, was established in 2001, with its goal to eliminate epidemics of group A meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa through the development and licensure of meningococcal A conjugate vaccine.Citation117,Citation118 MenA-TT (MenAfriVac) was licensed in 2010 as single dose in individuals 1–29 y of age.Citation25,Citation118 Large-scale immunization campaigns started in December 2010.Citation119 Burkina Faso was the first country to introduce MenAfriVac, with national coverage reaching 95.9%.Citation120 Its impact during the next epidemic season has been excellent since no case of meningococcal A disease occurred in any vaccine recipient.Citation119 Overall, a low incidence of meningococcal A disease was observed in Burkina Faso during 2011.Citation121 Whether MenAfriVac will completely eliminate meningococcal A disease is yet to be determined in the following years.

Recommendations in Adults (, , and )

Table 4. Recommendations in adults in United StatesCitation18

Table 5. Recommendations in adults in United KingdomCitation43,Citation95

Table 6. Recommendations in adults in Saudi ArabiaCitation31,Citation130

Whenever possible, a meningococcal conjugate vaccine is preferred because of its higher immunogenicity, immune memory, lack of hyporesponsiveness and impact on carriage and herd immunity as compared with polysaccharide vaccine.Citation47 However, MPV can be given in case of allergy to the conjugate vaccine, age >55 y, unavailability or high expenses of MCV, and travel for a limited period of time to a hyperendemic or epidemic area.Citation31 However, its use is limited in the case of routine use in the general population.Citation122,Citation123 The ACIP of the CDC recommends the use of MPV-4 in adults >55 y.Citation18 There is lack of data on the use of MCV in this age group, except for the study that was conducted by Dbaibo et al. and demonstrated the immunogenicity of MenACWY-TT above age of 55 y.Citation47,Citation113 MenACWY-TT is approved in Europe for use in this age group.Citation107

High-risk groups

United States

The ACIP recommends MCV-4 (MenACWY-DT or MenACWY-CRM) for all persons aged 11–18 y and for persons aged 2–55 y at increased risk for meningococcal disease.Citation18,Citation90,Citation124,Citation125

The ACIP recommends the use of a single dose of MCV-4 for high-risk individuals aged 2–55 y such as microbiologists routinely exposed to isolates of N meningitidis, military recruits, or first-year college students up to age of 21 y who are living in dormitories if they were not vaccinated beyond the age of 16 y, with a booster dose every 5 y if at continued risk.Citation18,Citation22,Citation126 The ACIP also recommends the use of a two-dose series of MCV-4 for persons aged 2–55 y, 2 mo apart, in case of terminal complement deficiencies and asplenia/hyposplenia, followed by a booster dose every 5 y.Citation18,Citation22,Citation127 HIV patients should receive a two-dose series of MCV-4, 2 mo apart, if this series was not provided at 11–18 y of age.Citation18,Citation126

United Kingdom

The JCVI in the United Kingdom recommends routine MCC vaccination at age of 3 mo, 12–13 mo (with Hib), and 14 y.Citation95 Neisvac-C or Menjugate Kit should be used for infants at 3 mo of age because they provide a good immune response after one dose under 1 y of age and strong immune responses when boosted as Hib/MCC vaccine at 12–13 mo.Citation93 Meningitec is less immunogenic under 1 y of age.Citation93 All three MCC can be used in adolescents.Citation93 In individuals aged 10–25 y, one dose of MCC should be given if no previous MCC was given, but no further vaccination is required if MCC was given since reaching 10 y of age.Citation95 The JCVI recommends one dose of Hib/MCC and one dose of MCV-4, one month apart, for patients with terminal complement deficiency or asplenia/hyposplenia for individuals ≥1 y.Citation95 The BHIVA recommends MCC vaccination for HIV-infected adults <25 y of age in case of unknown immunization history or no previous immunization, and at any age if at risk for meningococcal disease.Citation43 One dose of MCC is usually given to HIV patients, but 2 doses are administered in case of concomitant asplenia.Citation43

Travel

Meningococcal disease is rare in travelers (0.4 per 100 000 per month) as compared with other vaccine-preventable travel-related infectious diseases.Citation128

United States

The ACIP recommends one dose of MCV-4 for travelers to countries where meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic, particularly if prolonged stay or contact with local population are expected (e.g., schools, hospitals, military barracks…).Citation18,Citation37,Citation58,Citation129 For example, vaccination against meningococcal disease is recommended for persons who travel to or reside in the “meningitis belt,” especially during the dry season (from December to June).Citation18,Citation36,Citation58,Citation129 Travelers require a booster dose every 5 y, if still indicated.Citation18,Citation37,Citation58 Prior to travel, unvaccinated patients with anatomical or functional asplenia, complement deficiency, or HIV should receive a two-dose series of MCV-4 (if <56 y), 2 mo apart, or a single dose of MPV-4 (if ≥56 y).Citation18,Citation58

United Kingdom

The JCVI recommends one dose of MenACWY-CRM or MenACWY-TT in individuals ≥11-y-old traveling to hyperendemic or epidemic areas, even if they have been previously vaccinated with MCC.Citation95 Vaccination is recommended for travelers to sub-Saharan Africa, particularly if prolonged stay, contact with local population, or backpacking are expected.Citation95 The BHIVA addresses the same recommendations for HIV-affected travelers, with a booster dose every 5 y if still indicated.Citation43

Saudi Arabia

Immunization against meningococcal disease is not a prerequisite for entry into any country except for Hajj/Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, where the quadrivalent polysaccharide or conjugate vaccine is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for all Hajjis and needs to be administered ≥10 d and <3 y prior to arrival.Citation31,Citation130 The conjugate vaccine is preferred for use in Hajj pilgrims due to concerns of hyporesponsiveness with repeated doses of MPV as many individuals participate in repeat pilgrimages.Citation131 Seven to 10 d post-vaccination are required to develop appreciable antibodies and achieve protection against meningococcal disease.Citation54,Citation58

For other countries, the small risk of travel-related diseases for the general traveler coupled with the unpredictable nature of epidemics make it difficult to provide evidence-based meningococcal vaccine recommendations for travelers.Citation132

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

No randomized, controlled trials have evaluated the safety of MPV-4 or MCV-4 in pregnant or lactating women.Citation18,Citation133 Yet, Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports of exposure to MPV-4 or MCV-4 during pregnancy did not raise any maternal, fetal, or infant safety concerns.Citation18,Citation134 The ACIP recommends the use of MenACWY-DT in pregnant women, if they are at risk for meningococcal disease.Citation134

Placental transport would likely be improved with conjugate vaccine through induction of IgG1-subclass of maternal antibodies, resulting in longer protection in newborns and young infants.Citation133 Maternally-derived antibodies might interfere with the antibody response to vaccines received in early infancy by forming immune complexes with the vaccine antigen and hiding it from B lymphocytes.Citation135 However, Rohner et al. showed lack of a consistent negative correlation between maternal antibodies and post-immunization antibodies in infants primed with MenACWY-CRM.Citation135

Meningococcal B Vaccines

Meningococcal quadrivalent vaccines do not contain serogroup B polysaccharide and thus, do not confer protection against serogroup B, which is the predominant serogroup in developed countries. Even when coupled to a carrier protein, serogroup B capsule is poorly immunogenic because of the structural similarity to the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule in the fetal tissues.Citation16,Citation59,Citation136,Citation137 Anticapsular antibodies against group B have poor bactericidal activities.Citation137,Citation138 Furthermore, the use of serogroup B polysaccharide vaccine carries the theoretical risk of autoimmunity due to molecular mimicry.Citation137,Citation139 Currently, there is no vaccine licensed in the United States against serogroup B disease.Citation18

OMV-based vaccines have been successfully used in Cuba, Norway, and New Zealand but do not provide cross protection with non-homologous group B variants.Citation70

In January 2013, the European Commission approved Bexsero, which is manufactured by Novartis Vaccines, for use in persons starting at age of 2 mo, and the European Union members will evaluate this vaccine for its possible inclusion into the immunization schedules.Citation140 The components of Bexsero are OMV and the recombinant N meningitidis group B antigens: heparin-binding antigen, adhesin A protein, and factor H binding protein.Citation141 An evaluation of >1000 meningococcal B strains from five European countries predicted that 63–90% would be covered by this vaccine.Citation141 Both recombinant meningococcal B vaccines (with and without OMV) induce substantial immune responses against genetically diverse strains and have an acceptable safety profile in adults.Citation142 Although Bexsero is not licensed in the United States, the CDC recommended its use at the Princeton University after reporting 8 cases of meningococcal B disease among Princeton students since March 2013.Citation143 Another four-case outbreak was reported at the University of California, and officials are considering whether to provide Bexsero in the university to prevent further spread of the outbreak.Citation144

Abbreviations:
ACIP=

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

BHIVA=

British HIV Association

CDC=

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CRM197=

diphtheria cross-reacting material, a nontoxic variant of diphtheria toxin

DT=

diphtheria toxoid

FDA=

Food and Drug Administration

GBS=

Guillain–Barré syndrome

HBV=

hepatitis B vaccine

Hib=

Haemophilus influenzae type b

IPV=

injectable polio vaccine

JCVI=

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization

MACP=

meningococcal polysaccharide bivalent A/C vaccine

MCC=

meningococcal C conjugate vaccine

MCV=

meningococcal conjugate vaccine

MMR=

measles-mumps-rubella vaccine

MPV=

meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine

MenACWY=

meningococcal conjugate quadrivalent vaccine

N meningitidis =

Neisseria meningitidis

OMV=

outer membrane vesicles

PCV=

pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

S pneumonia =

Streptococcus pneumoniae

SBA=

serum bactericidal antibody

Td=

combined tetanus and diphtheria vaccine

Tdap=

combined tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine

TT=

tetanus toxoid

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

G.S.D. has served on Advisory Boards, received grant support through his institution, and received honoraria for lectures from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Sanofi-Aventis, and Pfizer. All other authors have no interests to declare.

10.4161/hv.27739

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