Meningitis vaccine not for everyone

The ACIP has released new recommendations about the vaccination of children aged 2 to 10 for meningitis.

"At its February 2008 meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) decided not to recommend routine vaccination of children aged 2 – 10 years against meningococcal disease unless the child is at increased risk for the disease," the report states. "This report summarizes the deliberations of ACIP and the rationale for its decision and restates existing recommendations for meningococcal vaccination among children aged 2 – 10 years at increased risk for meningococcal disease. ACIP continues to recommend routine vaccination against meningococcal disease for all persons aged 11 – 18 years and those persons aged 2 – 55 years who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease."

The ACIP decision not to recommend routine vaccination against meningococcal disease for all children aged 2 to 10 years was based on reviews of safety and immunogenicity data, the epidemiology of meningococcal disease, cost-effectiveness analysis, and programmatic considerations.

The report was published in the May 2 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The quote is from Medscape.