Meningitis B test results raise vaccine hopes

A HUGE breakthrough has been made in the search for a vaccine against meningitis B, the most common form of the illness in Ireland.

There were 157 cases of meningitis B and six deaths reported last year to the state’s public health watchdog — the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The MenB vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Novartis was tested on 150 babies in Britain, with the children immunised at two, four and six months of age. The children received a fourth dose at 12 months.

The vaccine’s immune response was tested against three strains of meningitis B. Results show that one month after the third dose, the immune response against the three strains was 89%, 96% and 85%.

A fourth dose, given at 12 months, resulted in the children receiving an immune response of 100%, 98% and 93%.

The Meningitis Trust said it was delighted at the early signs of success in the development of a vaccine.

Although a vaccine against meningitis B could potentially prevent many cases of meningitis in the future, there are still many other types of meningitis for which there is no protection.

“The success of these trials is a positive step forward, but we would urge people to remain vigilant of the signs and symptoms of meningitis in the absence of a vaccine for all types,” said Meningitis Trust general manager Carole Nealon.

Ms Nealon also cautioned that it was still early days in the development of a vaccine for meningitis B and pointed out that the trial period could last three to five years.

The head of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, Dr Andrew Pollard, described the initial results as encouraging.

He pointed out that the initial results show the vaccine induced an immune response against strains containing the vaccine components.

“The next step is to find how broad these responses are against other strains that cause disease,” said Dr Pollard.

* Support services offered by Meningitis Trust (www.meningitis-trust.ie) can be accessed via the 24-hour nurse-led helpline on 1800 523 196.

Meningitis: The facts

* Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal chord.

* Babies are immunised against three other infections that cause meningitis — Hib (haemophilus influenza B), pneumococcal and Men C (meningococcal C).

* Pneumococcal vaccine is not yet part of the state’s childhood immunisation programme and is only recommended for children and adults at increased risk of infection.

* One of the biggest problems with meningitis is that it can develop very quickly, and anyone suspected of having the disease should be taken to hospital as soon as possible.

* Meningitis is often associated with septicaemia, otherwise known as blood poisoning, which can also be extremely serious.

* Most people recover from the disease, which can be fatal, but others are left deaf or blind.