A few weeks ago, the first vaccine capable of protecting against most meningococcal B meningitis finally received a favorable opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. It was the Bexsero developed by the Swiss laboratory Novartis. This favorable opinion of the Committee has just been followed by the green light from the authorities of the European Union, which has therefore just authorized Bexsero to be marketed.
This vaccine will be complementary to Menveo, which already offers protection against other forms of meningitis.
Meningitis mainly affects infants and young children, but it can also affect older children and young adults. In most cases, there are no risk factors and it usually occurs in healthy people. And despite treatment with antibiotics, about 8% of people with meningitis die and between 11 and 19% of patients suffer from neurological sequelae or hearing loss.
>> To read also: Meningitis: what risk for teens
Each year, around 1.2 million cases of meningococcal meningitis are recorded worldwide, of which around 7,000 cases are in Europe. In the European Union, Belgium, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom have the highest number of cases of meningitis. Moreover, it is recommended to vaccinate teens who go on a trip linguistics in the British Isles.
The vaccine available to date allowed protection against meningitis A, C, W135 and Y, serogroups which concern 90% of meningitis cases. But there was no vaccine offering protection against meningococcal B meningitis, a serogroup yet still common. The European Commission has therefore authorized the use of Bexsero in children under 2 months of age. The ball is now in the court of the health authorities of the various European countries. French health authorities must now decide whether or not to register this vaccine for the next vaccination schedule. And decide whether or not to be reimbursed.
