In 2023, France faced an unprecedented rebound in cases of potentially fatal meningococcal infections. To deal with the epidemic, expanded vaccination against meningitis will be compulsory for babies from 2025.
Vaccination against meningitis, currently compulsory in infants only for one family of bacteria, will be expanded from the beginning of 2025 in the face of the rebound in these serious infections, formalizes a new vaccination schedule published this Friday, April 26 by the health authorities.
In 2023, the country had to face an unprecedented rebound in cases of potentially fatal meningococcal meningitis following the cessation of health measures put in place during the Covid-19 crisis. As a reminder, meningitis is an infection of the coverings surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Of viral origin in most cases, the disease can also be caused by bacteria, this is the case with meningococcal meningitis.
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According to figures from French Public Health, the end of 2022 was marked by an early and very high peak in cases of invasive meningococcal infections (IIM) with 89 cases as of December. The number of cases then remained at high levels throughout the winter. In 2023, 560 IIMs were declared, 72% more than in 2022.
Counteract the rebound of meningitis
Thus, vaccination of children under one year old against meningococci A, B, W and Y – as well as C – will be compulsory from next year, as recommended by the High Authority for Health (HAS). . Currently, only anti-meningococcal C vaccination is compulsory for children under one year of age, that against B has only been recommended for infants since 2022.
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A single vaccine, called tetravalent, will now target A, C, W and Y. Given separately in three successive doses (3, 5 and 12 months), another will always target strain B. The objective is to counter the strong rebound in bacterial meningitis caused by meningococci, generally much more serious than viral meningitis, and the rise of the Y and W meningococcal families.
Unpredictable and devastating
“Meningitis can occur at any age, but it particularly affects children and adolescents. Meningitis is a rare but serious disease,” we can read on the Vidal website.
But some people have a higher risk of suffering from meningitis such as infants under two years old, adolescents, young adults up to the age of 24, and the elderly. Smokers and people exposed to cigarette smoke are also at risk.
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The main symptoms are high fever, severe headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, photosensitivity, red or purplish spots (purpura). Unpredictable and devastating, without rapid treatment, this disease can cause death in less than 24 hours. Properly treated, mortality remains 10%.
