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The impact of childhood meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine programs in Canada

Julie A Bettinger1, David W Scheifele, Nicole Le Saux

  • 1Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. jbettinger@cw.bc.ca

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|February 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Early childhood immunization programs with meningococcal C conjugate (MenC) vaccines significantly reduced MenC disease incidence in Canada. Surveillance data showed no evidence of serogroup replacement following MenC vaccine implementation.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Conjugate meningococcal vaccines are crucial for reducing disease incidence.
  • Canada's staggered implementation of universal childhood meningococcal C conjugate (MenC) immunization programs provides a unique study opportunity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the influence of MenC immunization programs on meningococcal disease incidence in Canada.
  • To assess serogroup replacement after MenC vaccine introduction.

Main Methods:

  • Active, population-based surveillance for adult and pediatric hospital admissions related to meningococcal infections.
  • Surveillance conducted across 12 Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, Active (IMPACT) centers from 2002 to 2006.

Main Results:

  • A total of 376 cases were reported over 5 years, with incidence decreasing from 0.62 to 0.42 per 100,000.
  • Incidence of group C meningococcal disease significantly decreased in provinces with early MenC programs (0.23 to 0.08 per 100,000).
  • Incidence for groups B, Y, and W135 remained stable; no serogroup replacement was observed.

Conclusions:

  • Early MenC immunization programs led to a substantial decrease in group C meningococcal disease incidence.
  • Serogroup C incidence remained stable in provinces without MenC programs.
  • The study found no evidence of serogroup replacement following MenC vaccine implementation.
Abstract

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