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KMID : 1039620120020020119
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Korean Journal of Family Practice
2012 Volume.2 No. 2 p.119 ~ p.126
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Vaccination for Meningitis
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Yoo Byung-Wook
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Abstract
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On May 23, 2012, Korea Food & Drug Administration fi nally approved Neisseria meningitidis Men A, C, W135, Y vaccine. This is good news for both patients and physicians who have been struggling to get this vaccine for a long time. The Neisseria meningitis vaccine has been given in the US, Europe, China, and South East Asian countries, but until now, Korea did not have an approved vaccine for Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that causes meningitis and sepsis. Invasive meningococcal disease is a severe bacterial meningitis, and the disease infects more than 500,000 people worldwide each year and causes more than 50,000 deaths. Close contact of individuals with invasive meningococcal disease increases the infection rate, and the infection rate can be increased 1,000 times more in the case of direct contact. China has suffered from frequent epidemics of invasive meningococcal disease. The disease is rare in Korea, yet it had several outbreaks in 1988, and in 2002?2003 as well. The 1995 meningitis outbreak in Mankato, Minnesota showed us that the fear that arises when meningococcal disease enters a community can cause widespread panic and confusion. Nine patients and one death were reported, 30,000 people were vaccinated within 3 days, and approximately 20,000 rifampin were prescribed. It was a chaotic experience for everyone because no one knew who would be the next victim of the disease, or when and where it would start.
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KEYWORD
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Meningitis, Meningococcal, Adult, Vaccine, Immunization Schedule
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