science · 04 September 2006 · 18 years ago
In 2006, a vaccine for a type of meningitis was offered for the first time in Great Britain for all babies at two, four and 13 months as part of the national childhood immunisation programme. The vaccine is designed for protection against pneumococcal disease which causes meningitis and septicaemia, a very serious infection, with a death rate of 20 per cent. Of children that survive infection, a quarter suffer life-long brain damage, deafness and epilepsy. Babies are particularly vulnerable. The Wyeth pharmaceuticals company, the vaccine supplier, reported that its use in America had shown a significant reduction in cases. An estimated 50 babies a year are expected to be protected from the devastating after-effects of pneumococcal meningitis.
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