Immunization for meningococcal serogroup B: What does the practitioner need to know?

Abstract

Most invasive meningococcal disease in Canada is now caused by serogroup B organisms. A vaccine directed against this serogroup (4CMenB) is newly licensed in Canada. A decision will need to be made by all provinces and territories regarding whether a routine infant immunization program is warranted. This decision will need to take into account factors such as uncertain estimates for the effectiveness of the vaccine, the high incidence of fever from the vaccine and the burden of introducing more injections into the current immunization schedule, and consider them against the potentially preventable mortality and morbidity that result from a rare but very serious disease.