The new vaccination schedule provides for the expansion of compulsory vaccination against meningococci A, B, W and Y for infants under one year of age in 2025.
- Currently, meningitis vaccination is only for meningococcal C for babies. However, it will be expanded from the beginning of 2025.
- One-year-old children must also be vaccinated against meningococci A, B, W and Y.
- This measure comes after a sharp increase in cases of invasive meningococcal infections in 2023.
To combat the increase in cases of invasive meningococcal infections observed for several months, health authorities have reviewed the vaccination schedule. The update presented on Friday, April 26, provides for the expansion of the vaccination obligation concerning meningitis for children under one year of age.
Vaccination of babies: the obligation extended to meningococci A, B, W, and Y
If currently only the meningococcal C vaccine is required for children under one year of age, the obligation will be extended to meningococci A, B, W, and Y from the beginning of 2025.
“While serogroup B remains in the majority, serogroups W and Y have made significant progress, particularly among infants and young people. Serogroup W strains are very virulent and cause mortality twice as high as serogroups B and Y”specifies the High Authority of Health in its recommendations issued last March.
The new meningitis vaccination plan is based on a single vaccine targeting meningococci A, C, W and Y. Babies will have a dose at 6 months then a booster at 12 months. This vaccine comes “as a replacement for vaccination directed against serogroup C”specifies the HAS.
The meningococcal B vaccine is given separately. For the latter, the injections must be given every 3 months, 5 months and 12 months of the child.
Invasive meningococcal infections: a significant increase in cases
The revision of the meningococcal vaccination schedule comes as a strong increase in cases has been recorded in 2023.
“The 2022-2023 winter season was marked by an early and very high peak in cases of invasive meningococcal infections (including 89 cases in December 2022 and 80 cases in January 2023). The monthly number of cases was maintained at high levels throughout the first half of 2023 before returning to levels comparable to pre-pandemic years from the second half of the year.”explains Santé Publique France in its 2023 report, published on April 9.
A total of 560 cases were reported in 2023. This represents an increase of 72% compared to 2022. Of these, 44% were linked to serogroup B, 29% to serogroup W and 24% to serogroup Y.
Invasive meningococcal infections – mainly caused by bacteria of serogroups A, B, C, W and Y – can cause serious conditions such as meningitis or sepsis. The mortality rate from this disease is high, reaching 10%. Furthermore, one in five patients has lasting after-effects.
