Open AccessMeningococcal vaccine evolution
Author(s) -
Gianni Bona,
Carla Guidi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical management issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2283-3137
pISSN - 1973-4832
DOI - 10.7175/cmi.v6i2.627
Subject(s) - medicine , neisseria meningitidis , meningococcal disease , meningitis , bacterial meningitis , meningococcal vaccine , vaccination , meningococcal meningitis , meningococcal infections , disease , sepsis , immunology , virology , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , immunization , bacteria , antigen , biology , genetics
Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial sepsis and meningitis worldwide. Although polysaccharide and glycoconjugate vaccines have been developed for serogroups A, C, Y and W-135, currently there are no broadly effective vaccines available for the prevention of meningococcal B disease. A general overview of the burden of the disease and the strains prevalence in the world with the focus in particular on the Italian situation is provided in this article, together with the vaccinations developed and under evaluation