New vaccine may help cure meningitis

London, April 1: A new meningitis vaccine that offers protection against four major strains of the disease has been made available in the European market.

The vaccine, called Menveo, would most likely be used as a travel vaccine to protect people from contracting meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. A large section of Africa is known as the Meningitis Belt because of the severity of meningitis epidemics there.

It promises to offer long lasting protection against the disease.

The predominant strains of meningitis vary across the world. In certain parts of Africa the A strain causes a huge toll of illness and death. There has also been a significant increase in the cases of W-135, once considered rare.

The Y-strain is common in the US and is increasingly being seen in South America, reports BBC News.

“Travellers should consider visiting a specialist travel health centre where they can be advised and provided with expert knowledge on the diseases they might be exposed to and the vaccines and medicines they require to keep well,” said Jane Zuckerman, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Travel Medicine at the University College London Medical School.

Linda Glennie, head of research at the Meningitis Research Foundation, welcomed the new vaccine and said that the next step was to find out “if this vaccine has a potential wider use than just travel”.

Menveo is being manufactured by Novartis Vaccine and Diagnostics and has a license for use in people aged 11 years and over.
– IANS