A vaccine which has dramatically reduced cases of meningitis C in Britain could be licensed here in July, according to the Irish Medicines Board (IMB).
When available, the vaccine will be administered to children and young people in a campaign which will cover about one third of the State's population.
Bacterial meningitis C accounts for about 40 per cent of the disease in Ireland. No vaccine is available for meningitis B, the most common bacterial meningitis.
Britain has seen reductions of more than 70 per cent in the incidence of meningitis C since the vaccine, marketed by Wyeth Laboratories, began to be distributed as part of a planned campaign last autumn. All 15 million young people under 18 in Britain will have been offered the vaccine by this autumn. Earlier this year, the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, said the campaign would begin here this summer. However, the IMB says it received an application to license the vaccine only at the end of March and that, in the normal course of events, a decision on the licence would be made in July.
The vaccine will become a normal part of the childhood vaccination programme. It will be given to older children and young people in a "catch-up" programme. Ireland has the highest incidence of meningitis in Europe. Meningitis causes inflammation of the lining of the brain. The bacteria can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning).
Last year, 12 deaths were registered as due to meningococcal infection, four as due to meningitis and 69 as due to septicaemia, but of the latter, only six were in the age groups at risk of fatal infection by the meningitis bacteria.
email: pomorain@irish-times.ie weblink: http://www.meningitis-trust.org.uk (National Meningitis Trust, UK)
