From the Guidelines
The meningitis B vaccine is recommended as a 2-3 dose series, with the specific dosing schedule depending on the vaccine product and individual risk factors, as outlined in the 2020 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations 1.
Key Points:
- For individuals aged 10 years and older, the MenB-FHbp vaccine can be administered as a 3-dose series at 0,1-2, and 6 months, or the MenB-4C vaccine can be administered as a 2-dose series at least 1 month apart 1.
- The vaccine is routinely recommended for adolescents and young adults ages 16-23, with a preferred age of 16-18 years, as well as for high-risk individuals including those with certain immune deficiencies, asplenia, microbiologists working with Neisseria meningitidis, and during outbreaks 1.
- Side effects are generally mild and include pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and fever 1.
- The vaccine specifically protects against serogroup B meningococcal disease, which causes approximately one-third of meningococcal cases in the US and can lead to serious complications including death 1.
Important Considerations:
- MenB-FHbp and MenB-4C are not interchangeable, and the specific vaccine product and dosing schedule should be selected based on individual risk factors and medical history 1.
- The ACIP recommendations emphasize the importance of vaccinating high-risk individuals and providing protection against serogroup B meningococcal disease, which can have severe consequences if left untreated 1.
From the Research
Meningococcal (Meningitis) B Vaccine Dosages
The recommended dosages for the Meningococcal (Meningitis) B vaccine vary depending on the vaccine type and the individual's risk level.
- For the MenB-4C vaccine (Bexsero), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends a 2-dose series with doses administered at 0 and 6 months for healthy adolescents and young adults aged 16-23 years, based on shared clinical decision-making 2.
- A 3-dose series with doses administered at 0,1-2, and 6 months is recommended for persons aged ≥10 years at increased risk 2.
- For the MenB-FHbp vaccine (Trumenba), a 2-dose schedule (0,6 months) is used for healthy individuals, and a 3-dose schedule (0,1-2,6 months) is used for individuals at increased risk 3.
- In the United Kingdom, a reduced two-dose primary immunization schedule at 2 and 4 months, followed by a booster at 12 months, has been implemented for infants 4.
- The MenB-FHbp vaccine has been shown to elicit a strong immune response against a range of MenB test strains, and a booster dose may be considered in individuals at continued risk of invasive meningococcal disease 5.
Vaccine Schedules
The vaccine schedules for the Meningococcal (Meningitis) B vaccine are as follows:
- MenB-4C vaccine (Bexsero): 2-dose series (0,6 months) or 3-dose series (0,1-2,6 months) 2.
- MenB-FHbp vaccine (Trumenba): 2-dose schedule (0,6 months) or 3-dose schedule (0,1-2,6 months) 3, 5.
- Infant immunization schedule in the United Kingdom: 2-dose primary immunization schedule at 2 and 4 months, followed by a booster at 12 months 4.