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Can we, should we, eradicate the meningococcus?
- Source :
- Vaccine
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2012.
-
Abstract
- Highlights ► New meningococcal vaccines are being developed and implemented. ► We examine the degree of meningococcal disease control achievable with vaccination. ► Population and evolutionary considerations are important in control of meningococci. ► Eradication of all meningococci is currently neither achievable nor desirable. ► Control of particular meningococci is an achievable end that can be attempted.<br />The eradication of infectious agents is an attractive means of disease control that, to date, has been achieved for only one human pathogen, the smallpox virus. The introduction of vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis into immunisation schedules, and particularly the conjugate polysaccharide vaccines which can interrupt transmission, raises the question of whether disease caused by this obligate human bacterium can be controlled, eliminated, or even eradicated. The limited number of meningococcal serogroups, lack of an animal reservoir, and importance of meningococcal disease are considerations in favour of eradication; however, the commensal nature of most infections, the high diversity of meningococcal populations, and the lack of comprehensive vaccines are all factors that suggest that this is not feasible. Indeed, any such attempt might be harmful by perturbing the human microbiome and its interaction with the immune system. On balance, the control and possible elimination of disease caused by particular disease-associated meningococcal genotypes is a more achievable and worthwhile goal.
- Subjects :
- Epidemiology
Human pathogen
Disease
Neisseria meningitidis
Population biology
Biology
Global Health
medicine.disease_cause
Meningococcal disease
Article
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
stomatognathic system
Immunology and Microbiology(all)
otorhinolaryngologic diseases
medicine
Animals
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Disease Eradication
Smallpox virus
ddc:614
030304 developmental biology
Vaccines
0303 health sciences
General Veterinary
General Immunology and Microbiology
Transmission (medicine)
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Human microbiome
Genetic Variation
medicine.disease
veterinary(all)
Virology
3. Good health
Meningococcal Infections
Infectious Diseases
Immunology
Molecular Medicine
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 0264410X
- Volume :
- 30
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Vaccine
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c137a246dbccd30b3b9ef2fc7da167f7