Group A meningococcal disease has been an important public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa for over a century. From 2003 to 2009 a monovalent group A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac™, was developed through an innovative public/private partnership. This article, published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, summarizes the laboratory and clinical studies leading to prequalification of MenAfriVac™. The vaccine was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in December 2010, and the 2011 epidemic season ended with no reported cases of group A meningitis in vaccinated individuals. ABSTRACT ONLY. (Learn how users in developing countries can gain free access to journal articles.)

Author(s): Frasch C, Preziosi M-P, LaForce FM

Published: 2012

Resource types: Peer-reviewed journal

Diseases: Meningococcus

Topics: Disease/vaccine specific information

Regions: Africa