Impact on disease incidence of a routine universal and catch-up vaccination strategy against Neisseria meningitidis C in Tuscany, ItalyArchived
Findings in this study confirmed the herd immunity effect of immunizing young children, since invasive meningococcal disease was not only reduced among vaccinees, but in all age groups. Of interest are both the impact of vaccination on meningococcal morbidity and the efforts by authors to conclude to the optimal vaccination regimen.
Bechini A, Levi M, Boccalini S, Tiscione E, Balocchini E, Canessa C, Azzari C, Bonanni P. Vaccine. 2012 Oct 5;30(45):6396-401. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.08.019.
Findings in this study confirmed the herd immunity effect of immunizing young children, since invasive meningococcal disease was not only reduced among vaccinees, but in all age groups. Of interest are both the impact of vaccination on meningococcal morbidity and the efforts by authors to conclude to the optimal vaccination regimen.
However, the long-term trends of the disease cannot be investigated in this rather short period, as it remains unknown to what extend this encouraging decrease in morbidity should be attributed to the vaccination and to what extend to long term epidemiology of meningococcal C disease. Given that other Regions of Italy have not implemented universal vaccination, it would be interesting to compare their trends in incidence.
Yet, the single dose of vaccine at the age of 13 months accommodates issues of cost/benefit and multiple injections in infancy, but leaves young children only to be covered by the herd immunity.