Safety and immunogenicity of a tetravalent polysaccharide vaccine against meningococcal disease.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Meningococcal disease, including meningitis and sepsis, usually follows an invasive infection by Neisseria meningitidis, and is a major cause of death and morbidity worldwide. Currently available meningococcal vaccines that consist of pure capsular polysaccharides (serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y) are generally safe and efficacious in adults and children aged > 2 years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity, safety and reactogenicity of a single dose of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals' Mencevax ACWY vaccine in healthy Taiwanese subjects aged 2-30 years.

METHODS: This open, single center, Phase III study was conducted in Taiwan. A single dose of the Mencevax ACWY vaccine was administered to subjects aged 2-30 years. Immunogenicity and safety of the vaccine were evaluated after vaccination.

RESULTS: The immunogenicity results obtained 1 month after vaccination with Mencevax ACWY vaccine indicated that the vaccine elicited a good immune response in vaccinees aged 2-30 years. This was both in terms of functional activity directed against meningococcal polysaccharide (A, C, W-135 and Y) as measured by serum bactericidal assay (> 93% activity against all serogroups), and specific IgG concentrations measured by ELISA (> 96% seropositivity to all serogroups).

CONCLUSION: The tetravalent polysaccharide Mencevax ACWY meningococcal vaccine was well tolerated and immunogenic in subjects aged 2-30 years in Taiwan.