Study of Meningitis B vaccination schedule on the childhood in Zaragoza

Abstract

BackgroundMeningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis is a life-threatening disease, with the highest incidence rates in children under 5 years of age. Since 2015, a vaccine against serogroup B, the most prevalent in Europe, has been available in Spain. The objective of the study was to analyse the vaccination of children with Meningitis B in Zaragoza. MethodsA descriptive observational study was carried out with 11 776 of 13 Health Centres of Sector I of Zaragoza, aged 0 months to 15 years, with a history of Meningitis B vaccination between January 2015 and December 2019. It was determined sex, date of birth, date and age of primary vaccination, health centre, and vaccination schedule. A descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing was carried out to analyse the results. Results50.4% of those vaccinated were between 2 and 9 years old. In 2016, children under 3 months of age represented 7.2% of the total vaccinated, increasing in 2019 to 50.9%. 83.8% of the children were well vaccinated, with a mean age of 5.5 years. Interval errors were more common in the 12–23-month group (55.9%). There were no differences between both sexes in relation to the pattern received. ConclusionsThe percentage of well vaccinated is high. The percentage of interval errors in the 12–23-month group, with a more complex vaccination schedule, is of concern. It is important to minimise errors in vaccination to achieve better protection rates.