New meningitis vaccine called life-saver for Africa

LONDON — A new meningitis vaccine offers hope to end devastating epidemics that have plagued West Africa the past century, according to recent studies.

The new vaccine protects against meningitis A, the deadliest form of the disease and seen primarily in Africa. It was developed by the Meningitis Vaccine Project, a partnership of the World Health Organization, the Seattle-based non-profit PATH and the Serum Institute of India.

Dr. Norman Noah, a public health expert at London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who was unconnected to the project, called the preliminary results encouraging.

"If they can get rid of group A meningococcal disease, which has the highest mortality rate and is a fairly unpleasant piece of work, it will be fantastic," he said.

The new vaccine — unrelated to a relatively new meningitis shot recommended for U.S. children — was recently tested in 600 toddlers in Mali and Gambia. It produced antibody levels nearly 20 times higher than those produced by a vaccine now in use. The only side effects detected were mostly minor, such as some skin and muscle tenderness where the shot was given.

Further study is planned in India this summer, to be followed by vaccination of the 9 million people most at risk in Burkina Faso — those aged 1 to 30 — in 2008. If the trials are successful, authorities then plan to introduce the vaccine across the rest of West Africa.

Meningitis is a bacterial infection of the lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its symptoms include a stiff neck, high fever, headaches and vomiting.

The disease primarily affects children, killing 10 percent of those infected. Even in survivors, it can result in lasting neurological damage and hearing loss.

While cases in the West are rare, each year the disease sweeps across Africa's "meningitis belt" — 21 countries stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia — causing tens of thousands of cases.

Even if the new vaccine becomes available, experts think there will be a lag of about 15 years before the majority of Africa's at-risk population can be vaccinated. Until then, stocks of the old vaccine will be needed to deal with any outbreak.

African governments and international donors will have to come up with $300 million to protect the 300 million people at risk in West Africa, but health experts hope to be able to redirect the approximately $30 million now spent every year on existing vaccines.