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January 31, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Meningitis Total Dropped by 122"

Irish Times (www.ireland.com) (01/29/03) P. 3; Donnellan, Eithne

Speaking at the launch of Meningitis Awareness Month, which runs through February, Ireland's Minister of State for Health and Children, Brian Lenihan, reported that the total number of [meningococcal] meningitis cases last year dropped by 122, in large part because of the success of the meningitis C vaccine.  In all, there were 274 cases of bacterial meningitis reported in Ireland in 2002, including 12 cases that resulted in death. Most of the cases were caused by group B meningitis, for which there is currently no vaccine; however, cases of meningitis C totaled just 14 last year, down from 139 in 2000, reflecting the impact of the vaccine against the strain.  Lenihan also called on individuals between the ages of 18 and 22 years to get immunized against meningitis C, noting that coverage for this age group was not as high as had been expected.

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