New children’s vaccine for pneumococcal meningitis receives approval

Meningitis Research Foundation welcomes the European Commission’s approval for Wyeth’s new 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine for children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age.

Currently, there is a vaccine in use that successfully protects against seven major strains of pneumococcal bacteria that were responsible for 70-80% of severe pneumococcal disease in young children before pneumococcal vaccination was introduced in Ireland. This new vaccine will protect against a further six strains of pneumococcal bacteria, which now cause most cases of deadly pneumococcal meningitis, and can also cause septicaemia, pneumonia and severe ear infections.

Meningitis Research Foundation Ireland Manager, Diane McConnell commented, ”Pneumococcal meningitis is one of the most deadly forms of meningitis and causes devastation across Ireland and around the world. This new vaccine offers greater coverage for all children in Ireland against some of the main strains of pneumococcal meningitis which have not been vaccine-preventable until now. Access to a vaccine with the broadest available protection is vital to improving the prevention of this devastating disease.”

Studies have demonstrated that Prevenar 13 is compatible with immunisation schedule.

You can support Meningitis Research Foundation in creating a world without meningitis and septicaemia by logging on to their website at www.meningitis.org.

Meningitis Research Foundation is currently funding 24 research projects into the prevention, detection and treatment of meningitis and septicaemia. The Foundation has spent €19.2 million on research since its inception in 1989 on 128 research projects.

Meningitis Research Foundation operates a Freefone 24 hour helpline – 1800 41 33 44 - providing information on meningitis and septicaemia to the general public and health professionals.

Symptoms of meningitis:

Fever; vomiting; severe headache; rash (not present in all cases); stiff neck*; dislike of bright lights*; very sleepy/vacant/difficult to wake; confused/delirious; seizures (fits) may also be seen. (*Unusual in young children.)

Symptoms of septicaemia (blood poisoning form of the disease):

Fever; vomiting; limb/joint/muscle pain (sometimes stomach pain/diarrhoea); pale or mottled skin; cold hands and feet; shivering; breathing fast/breathless; rash (anywhere on the body); very sleepy/vacant/difficult to wake; confused/delirious.

Other symptoms in babies include: tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot); refusing to feed; being irritable when picked up with a high pitched or moaning cry; a stiff body with jerky movements or else floppy and lifeless.