[Bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Prophylactic measures].

Meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most frequent and most serious, with fatal rate between few up to 20%. Majority of cases are caused by Neisseria meningitidis of serological groups A, B, C, as well as Y and W 135. Vaccination is the most effective prophylactic measure against meningococcal meningitidis. Polysaccharide, not conjugated vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis serological groups A, C, W 135, Y effective for children over 2 years old, adolescents and adults as well as vaccine against serogroup C conjugated with protein carrier, effective for children over 2 months of life, adolescents and adults are used. Conjugated vaccine against serological group C was used in 1998/1999 in Great Britain in the mass vaccination of infants in 2, 3, 4 months of life, children and adolescents up to 17. In Poland as well as in other European countries serological group B is an etiological factor of majority of cases caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Intensive studies are performed in the field on effective, safety, cheap vaccine against all serological groups of Neisseria meningitidis.