Meningococcal vaccination: advantages and disadvantages

What is the benefit of the meningococcal vaccine?

Meningococci are one of the most common triggers of bacterial meningitis, the so-called meningitis , in both children and adults . In children and adolescents in particular, the pathogens can spread through the bloodstream during the course of an illness and thus lead to blood poisoning or, in the worst case, to internal bleeding. Meningococcal infection often also causes permanent damage that can affect the brain or hearing. Epilepsy is also a possible consequence.

A meningococcal vaccination is particularly recommended for certain risk groups. Since the infection is favored by an individual immune deficiency, vaccination is particularly useful if there is a congenital or acquired immune deficiency. Laboratory personnel at risk should also consider preventive vaccination. It is also advisable to be immunized before traveling abroad to a high-risk area, such as parts of Asia or Africa. A longer stay in a country with an official vaccination recommendation, for example as a student or exchange student in Great Britain, Spain or the Netherlands, also speaks for a meningococcal vaccination.

Vaccination critics note that vaccination is rather superfluous in this country. In Europe, the overwhelming majority of meningococcal infections are caused by type B bacteria. However, the vaccine available in Europe only contains antigens of types A, C, W and Y, which is why the meningococcal vaccination cannot provide adequate protection against disease.

When and how a meningococcal vaccination?

The STIKO recommends a one-time vaccination from the age of 12 months. At this early stage, a so-called conjugate vaccine is used, in which the antigen it contains is bound to a carrier protein so that even the immature immune system of very young children can “recognize” the pathogen and produce sufficient antibodies for the meningococcal vaccine to be classified as effective can be.

Vaccination before the age of two is also possible. However, the meningococcal vaccination is divided into several partial vaccinations. Then either two doses of vaccine are given eight weeks apart or three doses of vaccine are given four weeks apart.

From the 19th month of life, vaccination with a so-called polysaccharide vaccine, which no longer contains the carrier protein described, is also possible.

The vaccination protection lasts about three years, which is why it is advisable to refresh the vaccination every three to five years for longer stays in particularly risky areas.

Survey: frequency of meningococcal vaccination

In our MomaSquad survey, we asked 550 mothers whether they had their child vaccinated against meningococci according to the STIKO recommendations. 50 percent of mothers have their child vaccinated in the course of the first year of life. By the recommended vaccination time of the second year of life, almost 80 percent of all children have already been vaccinated. A few parents have their children vaccinated even later, but even with the meningococci, similar to the pneumococci , 10 to 15 percent of parents do not vaccinate.

Who should not get the meningococcal vaccine?

If the vaccinee is known to be allergic to one or more of the ingredients in the vaccine, another vaccine should be used if necessary. If you have had a previous severe reaction to a vaccine, such as fainting or seizures, high fever or shortness of breath, you should not be vaccinated again with the same preparation.

Meningococcal vaccination should be postponed if the person to be vaccinated is suffering from a feverish infection at the time of vaccination that requires special medical treatment. Simple infections, such as a cold, on the other hand, are usually not an obstacle.

It is important that you discuss possible risk factors in detail with your doctor before each vaccination so that he can suggest alternatives if necessary.

Possible side effects of the meningococcal vaccine

As with any vaccination, immunization against meningococci can also lead to slight vaccination reactions. These include, for example, slight redness, swelling or tenderness at the injection site. Both vaccines can cause a slight fever and flu-like symptoms such as headaches and body aches, shivering, exhaustion or gastrointestinal problems. Febrile convulsions sometimes occur in infants after meningococcal vaccination.

Vaccination critics complain that there are still no long-term studies on the individual vaccines and their long-term side effects, such as a possible influence of the meningococcal vaccine on early childhood development.