Cited by 180Bacterial Infections and VaccinesMicrobial infections and disease researchBacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing

The epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease in EU/EEA countries, 2004–2014

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Whittaker, Robert, Dias, Joana Gomes, Ramliden, Miriam, Ködmön, Csaba, Economopoulou, Assimoula, Beer, Netta, Pastore Celentano, Lucia, Kanitz, Elisabeth +52 more·2017·Vaccine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a major cause of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia although infection by some serogroups may be prevented through vaccination. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of IMD in EU/EEA countries during 2004-2014 to monitor serogroup- and age-specific trends, and compare country trends by the period of meningococcal C conjugate (MCC) vaccine introduction. METHODS: We analysed IMD surveillance data by age, gender, serogroup, country and outcome. We estimated the percentage change in annual notification rate (NR), using linear regression analysis of the log of the annual NR. We grouped countries by the year they introduced MCC vaccination into their routine immunisation programmes. RESULTS: The overall NR was 0.9/100 000 population, and decreased 6.6% (95%CI: -8.0%;-5.1%) annually. Infants had the highest NR (16.0/100 000), and there were decreasing trends in all age groups <50years. Serogroup B (SgB) caused 74% of all cases, and the majority of cases in all age groups. There were decreasing trends in SgB and serogroup C (SgC) and an increasing trend in serogroup Y. Countries that introduced MCC vaccination before, and between 2004 and 2014, had decreasing trends in NR of SgC, but not countries without routine MCC vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support evidence that routine MCC vaccination was the driving force behind the decreasing SgC trend. Vaccinating against SgB in the first year of life could help reduce the burden of IMD due to this serogroup. Changing serogroup-specific NR trends highlight the need for high-quality surveillance data to accurately assess the changing epidemiology of IMD, the effectiveness and impact of implemented vaccines, and the need for future vaccines.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.03.007

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  • In recent years, serogroup B N. meningitidis is responsible for the majority of meningococcal disease in Europe.

    “Previous studies have identified that in recent years serogroup B N. meningitidis is responsible for the majority of meningococcal disease in Europe, [79, 80]”

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Authors
Whittaker, R., Dias, J. G., Ramliden, M., Ködmön, C., Economopoulou, A., Beer, N., Pastore Celentano, L., Kanitz, E., Richter, L., Mattheus, W., Bleyenheuft, C., Georgieva, T., Simeonovski, I., Vučina, V. V., Filipović, S. K., Koliou, M., Bagatzouni, D. P., Krizova, P., Sebestova, H., Hoffmann, S., Valentiner-Branth, P., Kerbo, N., Peetso, R., Kuusi, M., Toropainen, M., Parent, I., Taha, M.-K., Vogel, U., Hellenbrand, W., Georgakopoulou, T., Tzanakaki, G., Krisztalovics, K., Tirczka, T., Gudnason, T., Hardardottir, H., O'Lorcain, P., Bennett, D., D'Ancona, F., Stefanelli, P., Savrasova, L., Vasilevska, D., Kuprevičienė, N., Liausedienė, R., Demuth, I., Scheiden, G., Melillo, J. M., Caruana, P., van der Ende, A., Mollema, L., Caugant, D., Blystad, H., Skoczyńska, A., Zota, L., Pana, M., Grgič Vitek, M., Paragi, M., Cano, R., Abad, R., Lepp, T., & Campbell, H.
Affiliations
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SE)
  • Tufts University (US)
Corresponding author
Whittaker, Robert
Venue
Vaccine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-04
Volume
35
Issue
16
Pages
2034-2041
ISSN
0264-410X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2602921194
Cited by
179
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 4
FWCI
21.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Vaccine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
Funders
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Microbial infections and disease research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
Keywords
invasive meningococcal disease, Neisseria meningitidis serogroups, serogroup B, serogroup C, serogroup Y, meningococcal C vaccine, vaccine impact, notification rates, age trends, bacterial meningitis, septicemia, disease surveillance
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Europe, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Meningitis, Meningococcal, Middle Aged, Neisseria meningitidis, Incidence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Sepsis, Meningococcal Vaccines, Young Adult, Serogroup

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