Microbiologists have found way to test the effectiveness of the meningitis vaccine
21 June 2018
A new test can identify whether meningitis infection could have been prevented by vaccination.
The technique, developed by scientists at the University of Leicester and Meningococcal Reference Unit, is currently being assessed by Public Health England. In the future, the test may be used to assess all cases of group B meningococcal disease (MenB).
Knowing whether infection could be prevented by the vaccine will help researchers to assess emerging strains and gain a better understanding of the protection the vaccine provides.
Circulating strains of MenB must continue to be monitored, according to Linda Glennie, Director of Research at the Meningitis Research Foundation. She said; “These new testing techniques that the scientists have developed will give us crucial insights. Over the years, the strains that circulate in the UK have changed, and it is important to be certain about how much coverage the current MenB vaccines can provide, both now and in the future.”
Dr Christopher Bayliss, Microbiology Society member and Reader in Bacterial Genetics at the University of Leicester said; “This new research fills a gap in current testing capabilities that determine whether a disease-causing meningococcal strain is expected to be covered by the vaccine.
“We are currently unable to obtain and grow live bacteria from up to half of patients to determine whether the vaccine might have prevented the type of meningococcal disease they have, often because treatment with antibiotics has already killed them. There is a need for new tests to identify and measure the amount of antigen by obtaining meningococcal DNA directly from patient samples.”
The test looks for antibodies to a protein called factor H binding protein (fHbp) in the blood. This protein exists on surface of around 73-88% of MenB strains, making them a target for the immune system.
MenB infection is the leading cause of death in children under five in the UK. Infection can cause meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia are not only life-threatening but can also cause serious disabilities and loss of limbs.
In 2015, a vaccination programme targeting MenB was introduced for infants. The vaccine is estimated to be protective against 73-88% of strains which cause the disease. Since the introduction of the vaccination programme, cases of MenB disease have nearly halved in children under two.
To read the full paper free online, see: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0197186
Image: Thinkstock.
