Meningococcus B: control of two outbreaks by vaccination

The issue of an effective vaccine against Meningococcus B (MenB) has been overcome by identifying, with the "reverse vaccinology" methodology, some antigens able of inducing a response to the majority of MenB strains circulating in the world. The new 4-components MenB vaccine (4CMenB) has been approved in Europe, Australia and Canada, and included in international pediatric immunization schedules: Australia, Canada, UK. In Italy, the first regions that have recommended vaccination against MenB were Basilicata and Puglia. The management of epidemics/outbreaks requires the implementation of a rapid response by health authorities in respect of a medical emergency with a high impact, even emotional, on the population, as recently demonstrated in two American universities. The declaration of outbreak in place has been followed in both contexts by the adoption of a procedure for the use of the 4CMenB vaccine not yet licensed in the USA. It was thus possible to organize interventions of active prophylaxis in the two campuses, establishing the first large-scale use of the new 4CMenB vaccine and achieving, in a relatively short time, high rates of vaccination coverage. With around 14,000 students immunized with at least one dose, no safety issues have been reported following immunization. Besides, to date there have been no cases in subjects who have received the vaccine. As a result of the two outbreaks described, FDA is now evaluating for the extension of the use of the 4CMenB vaccine in adolescents and young adults in USA