Babies target for new vaccine

By REBECCA WALSH health reporter

Another 150 babies are needed for a pilot meningococcal vaccine programme in Auckland.

The vaccine, which has already been tested in adults, schoolchildren and toddlers, is now being tested on babies aged six to eight months.

The pilot is part of a nationwide campaign to combat the group B meningococcal epidemic in New Zealand. It is planned all New Zealanders under 20 years of age will eventually be vaccinated against the disease, starting from next year.

Professor Diana Lennon said about 150 babies were already part of the trial, which involved three doses of vaccine six weeks apart, and some blood tests.

The children could be from anywhere in Auckland. The only criteria was that they were well and had not had meningococcal disease.

Professor Lennon said the advantage to parents was that their children had access to the vaccine early on - infants were the highest risk group because their immune system was still developing - and families also benefited from increased awareness of the disease.

Since 1991, 4902 people have been infected and 201 people have died from the disease. So far this year 144 cases have been reported with no deaths, compared with 128 cases and four deaths at the same time last year.

"Unfortunately the epidemic continues at full tilt," Professor Lennon said. "The different amount of deaths may or may not be significant. It's small numbers and early on in the year."

Meningococcal Vaccine Strategy Director Dr Jane O'Hallahan said the vaccine would have to be independently assessed by Medsafe before the national roll out. Results from the adult stage of the trial showed it was good in safety terms and for immunogenicity (those given the vaccine developed antibodies to protect themselves from the disease).

The Government has committed up to $200 million for the programme.

* For more information on the programme call 0800-110-738.