[Bexsero, a novel vaccine against meningococcus]

Meningococcus B is the most prevalent Neisseria meningitidis serogroup isolated in Hungary. Bexsero is one of the vaccines developed against it, which has been available in Hungary since the summer of 2014. The authors summarize the most important issues and open questions concerning the disease and the vaccine based on literature review. Based on immunological evidence, it is expected that Bexsero provides protection against this rare but very serious infection. However, the vaccine is extremely expensive, the clinical effectiveness has not yet been proven and it frequently causes fever, especially in infants where the vaccine is most needed. According to the opinion of the authors, the formulation of a Hungarian guideline concerning the application of Bexsero should be postponed until the accumulating international experience makes it possible to better judge the vaccine's benefits, risks and cost-effectiveness. For patients with asplenia, complement defect or other immunological defect, or in case of markedly increased individual risk of contracting the disease, the vaccination is already justified.