Does the meningococcal (meningitis) vaccine protect against meningitis?

Meningococcal Vaccines and Protection Against Meningitis

Yes, meningococcal vaccines do protect against specific types of bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis, but they do not protect against all causes of meningitis.

Types of Meningococcal Vaccines and Coverage

Meningococcal vaccines currently available in the United States provide protection against specific serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis, the bacteria that causes meningococcal meningitis and septicemia:

• Quadrivalent vaccines (MenACWY): Protect against serogroups A, C, W, and Y 1

  • MenACWY-D (Menactra)
  • MenACWY-CRM (Menveo)
  • MenACWY-TT (MenQuadfi)

• Serogroup B vaccines (MenB): Protect against serogroup B strains 1

• Combination vaccines:

  • Hib-MenCY-TT (MenHibrix): Protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal serogroups C and Y 1

Important Limitations

• Meningococcal vaccines do not protect against all types of meningitis - they specifically target N. meningitidis bacteria 1
• They do not protect against meningitis caused by other bacteria (like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae), viruses, fungi, or parasites
• Current vaccines do not cover all serogroups of N. meningitidis 2
• Serogroup B causes approximately two-thirds of meningococcal disease in children under 6 years 3

Recommended Vaccination Schedule

Routine Vaccination

• Ages 11-12 years: First dose of MenACWY 1
• Age 16 years: Booster dose of MenACWY 1
• College freshmen living in dormitories: Should have documentation of MenACWY vaccination not more than 5 years before enrollment 1

High-Risk Groups

For persons with:

• Persistent complement component deficiencies
• Anatomic or functional asplenia
• HIV infection
• Travel to areas where meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic
• Microbiologists routinely exposed to N. meningitidis

Vaccination recommendations:

• Ages 2 months-18 months with high-risk conditions: 4-dose primary series of Hib-MenCY-TT 1
• Ages 9-23 months with high-risk conditions: 2 doses of MenACWY-D, 12 weeks apart 1
• Ages 2-55 years with high-risk conditions: 2 doses of MenACWY, 8-12 weeks apart 1

Effectiveness and Duration of Protection

• Conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) provide longer protection than older polysaccharide vaccines 4
• Protection wanes over time, requiring booster doses 1
• For high-risk individuals:
  • If vaccinated before age 7: Booster needed after 3 years, then every 5 years 1
  • If vaccinated at age 7 or older: Booster needed every 5 years 1

Limitations and Considerations

• Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines are relatively ineffective in children under 2 years 1
• Serogroup B causes a significant portion of meningococcal disease in many industrialized countries 2
• The implementation of meningococcal conjugate vaccine programs has significantly reduced the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease in countries with high vaccination coverage 4

Special Situations

Travel

• Vaccination recommended for travelers to the "meningitis belt" of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly during the dry season (December-June) 1
• Travelers should receive appropriate vaccines based on their age and risk factors 1

Outbreaks

• MenACWY or Hib-MenCY-TT is recommended for control of outbreaks caused by vaccine-preventable serogroups 1
• An outbreak is defined as ≥3 confirmed or probable cases of the same serogroup within 3 months, with a primary attack rate of ≥10 cases per 100,000 population 1

In summary, while meningococcal vaccines are effective at preventing specific types of meningococcal disease, they do not provide protection against all causes of meningitis. The appropriate vaccine and schedule should be determined based on age, risk factors, and specific indications.