What is the Meningitis Vaccine Called?
There isn't one single "meningitis vaccine," as several vaccines protect against different types of bacterial meningitis. The specific name depends on the type of bacteria the vaccine targets.
Several vaccines exist, each targeting specific strains of bacteria responsible for causing meningitis:
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MenACWY Vaccines (Meningococcal Conjugate): These vaccines protect against groups A, C, W, and Y of Neisseria meningitidis, a common cause of bacterial meningitis. This is a frequently used vaccine, recommended for preteens and teens by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/vaccines/index.html).
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MenB Vaccines (Serogroup B Meningococcal): This vaccine targets serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis, another significant cause of meningitis. It's a newer vaccine and might not be included in routine childhood immunization schedules (https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/meningitis-vaccine.htm).
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Pentavalent or MenABCWY Vaccine: This newer vaccine protects against serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y. Nigeria was the first country to introduce this 5-in-1 vaccine (https://www.who.int/news/item/12-04-2024-in-world-first--nigeria-introduces-new-5-in-1-vaccine-against-meningitis).
It's important to note that these are bacterial meningitis vaccines. Viral meningitis, caused by different viruses, is not preventable with these vaccines. The MMR vaccine protects against some viruses that can cause viral meningitis (https://www.meningitis.org/meningitis/vaccine-information), but it's not specifically a meningitis vaccine. Other vaccines, such as the 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep B), may provide protection against bacteria that can cause meningitis as a secondary infection, although this is not its primary purpose (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/vaccination/).
