Meningococcal Disease The NZ group B epidemic and the MeNZB vaccine

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Meningococcal DiseaseThe NZ group B epidemic and
the MeNZB vaccine
Compiled by the Immunisation Advisory
Centre Department of General Practice and Primary
Health Care, University of Auckland June 2005
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What this presentation covers

• What is meningococcal disease?
• What causes meningococcal disease Neisseria
  meningitidis
• Incidence of meningococcal disease - epidemiology
  
• What puts us at more risk from meningococcal
  disease?
• What protects us against this disease?
• MeNZB - Manufacture and ingredients.
• Studies to show group B vaccines work
• The MeNZB Trials
• How does the vaccine work?
• Is the vaccine safe? How do we know?

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1. Meningococcal disease
What is meningococcal disease? Diagnosis and
treatment
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Neisseria meningitidis is named for its ability
to cause meningitis inflammation of the brain
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It can also cause septicaemia blood poisoning
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Diagnosis of meningococcal disease

• Clinical signs variable - unwell, rash, headache
  etc. NB can be very rapid progression!
• To confirm the disease, can view patients blood
  and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) under a
  microscope and see the meningococci
• Can also perform a test for meningococcal DNA
  very sensitive test call PCR
• Cant detect bacteria in all cases as antibiotics
  kill the bacteria very quickly and early use of
  antibiotics is highly recommended!

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Meningococcal disease - summary

• Rapid onset of disease causing meningitis or
  septicaemia
• Diagnosed blood, spinal fluid
• Relatively effectively treated if in time -
  penicillin
• HOWEVER
• Still a significant disease burden
• - 2 50 days in hospital
• - 4 death rate (even lower with early
  antibiotics)
• - 5 20 brain or limb damage
• - 25 long term learning or behavioral
  difficulties
• - about 60 survive unharmed