Immunised children catch killer disease

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Two children have developed meningococcal disease despite being immunised against the epidemic strain of the disease.

The Ministry of Health said the cases reinforced the need for parents to remain vigilant for symptoms of the disease even if their child had been immunised.

Jane O'Hallahan, meningococcal B immunisation programme director, said that in the two recent cases both children became ill less than 28 days after the third dose - the time required to develop full immunity.

"We are told both these children are now well and both families need to be congratulated for acting quickly to seek medical help."

Dr O'Hallahan said the vaccine offered the best protection available against meningococcal B, but as with any vaccine, there would be a small proportion of the population who did not develop full immunity.

One of the children definitely did not have the epidemic strain of the disease, while the strain in the second case is still being identified.

This year there have been 308 cases of meningococcal disease, of which 76 per cent were the epidemic strain.

It is understood a 36-year-old Aucklander has died of the disease in recent days.

Public Health specialist Dr Will Patterson said three people had died from the disease in Auckland this year - two babies and an adult - but he would give no further information.

The Government aims to vaccinate 90 per cent of New Zealand's 1.1 million people under the age of 20 in a $200 million project.

Those in Counties Manukau and Auckland City suburbs were the first to receive the vaccine, starting in July. The programme reached North Shore and central Auckland preschoolers this month and started in Northland yesterday.