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Meningococcal B Vaccination Patterns Across 10 Integrated Health Systems within Vaccine Safety Datalink, 2015-2023
Holly C Groom1, Neon Brooks1, Padma Dandamudi1
1Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland OR, USA.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|August 4, 2026
Summary
Meningococcal B vaccine (MenB) initiation varies by US region for adolescents and young adults. Coverage is higher in high-risk groups but still insufficient, indicating a need for improved MenB immunization strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Vaccinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Meningococcal B disease poses a significant risk to adolescents and young adults.
- The meningococcal B vaccine (MenB) is available to prevent this disease.
- Understanding MenB vaccination patterns is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze meningococcal B vaccine (MenB) administration trends among individuals aged 10-25 years.
- To assess MenB vaccination coverage across different US geographic regions.
- To evaluate MenB vaccination uptake among high-risk populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of MenB doses administered between 2015-2023 across 10 Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) healthcare systems.
- Categorization of VSD sites into Western, Central, and Eastern US regions.
- Calculation of vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) for the 2023 cross-sectional cohort (ages 16-25) and high-risk individuals (ages 10-25).
Main Results:
- The most common age for initiating MenB vaccination was 18 years (34.1%), followed by 16 years (15.6%).
- Regional vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) in 2023 varied: Western (6%), Central (8%), and Eastern (17%) regions among individuals aged 16-25 years.
- Among high-risk individuals (<1% of the sample), 39% received at least one MenB dose, with lower coverage for those with complement component deficiencies (19%).
Conclusions:
- Significant geographic disparities exist in meningococcal B vaccine (MenB) initiation among adolescents and young adults (ages 16-25).
- While vaccination coverage is higher in high-risk populations, a substantial proportion remain unvaccinated, highlighting gaps in immunization delivery.
- Enhanced strategies are necessary to improve MenB vaccine uptake, particularly for vulnerable, at-risk populations.
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