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http://www.telegraph.com.au/read.asp?article=2197385.txt&s=news

Vaccine now back on the shelves to hit infection

THE demand of Sunbury and Macedon parents seeking to protect their children against deadly meningococcal C infection will be relieved when a new generation vaccine is rushed onto local pharmacy shelves in time for the peak of meningococcal season.

The new NeisVac-C is said to elicit a superior immune response compared to available conjugate vaccines that protect against the meningococcal C disease - the more aggressive strain responsible for the greatest number of deaths.

Meningococcal C is responsible for a third of all confirmed meningococcal infections in Australia this year and is the most common strain in Victoria and Tasmania.

Bernie Hudson, microbiologist and physician at the Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, said it has been a long and anxious wait for many parents whose efforts to immunise their children were delayed by a national shortage of suitable vaccine.

"More than 60,000 Australians are expected to flood back to their local GPs to replace their unfilled prescriptions for the new vaccine," he said.

Dr Hudson said meningococcal types C and B were most common in Australia, with 108 type C and 137 type B cases reported this year.

General manager of the Meningitis Foundation, Elizabeth Watling, urged Sunbury and Macedon residents to "vaccinate with vigilance" and said the availabilty of the new meningococcal C vaccine would relieve the community unease induced by the limited supply of type C vaccines.

"Although the availability of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine does not eliminate the risk of other types of meningococcal infection, immunisation is an important step towards reducing the incidence of the disease in the community," she said.

"Parents must remember there is no vaccine available to protect against meningococcal type B. Since B and C strains have common symptoms, parents need to continue to monitor for the warning signs which include fever, vomiting, headache, sore neck and red rash."

Dr Hudson said the new vaccine was a safe and effective vaccine and advised parents to see their doctor.

"We know winter and spring are the peak seasons for meningococcal infection, hence the importance of providing infants, children, adolescents and adults access to protection against this potentially fatal disease," he said.

Parents with children under 12 months of age who have started an alternative meningococcal C immunisation program should contact their doctor to discuss continuing the program with the aim of establishing full protection against the disease.

Manufacturer Baxter Healthcare confirmed it will be bidding to supply vaccine for the Federal Government's national meningococcal program.

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