Meningococcal conjugate vaccines have been developed by linking a capsular polysaccharide to a carrier protein. Conjugate vaccines are immunogenic in very young children and they prevent carriage. A serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine has been deployed successfully in the UK and in other European countries with a dramatic reduction in the incidence of serogroup C disease and a marked drop in the prevalence of serogroup C meningococcal carriage.  

Development of a serogroup A meningococcal (Men A) conjugate vaccine for use in Africa has been slow. However, in 2001, the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) was created with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to do this.  MVP’s goal is to develop a low-cost, monovalent serogroup A conjugate vaccine which can be used for mass ‘catch-up’ immunisation programmes in countries of the African meningitis belt and also for immunisation of infants.

This vaccine is being produced in India and is now in clinical trials in Africa. The vaccine induces a superior immunological response to the polysaccharide vaccine and immunological memory but it is not known yet whether it has any impact on carriage.

Licensure for the new serogroup A conjugate vaccine is being sought and it is likely that it will be rolled out in three meningitis belt countries in 2010.