Abstract

RODRIGUEZ, Meiby de la Caridad; CUEVAS, Iván Edelberto; MIRABAL, Mayelín  and  RUIZ, Luis. Adverse event surveillance of the polysaccharide meningococcal A and C vaccine during a vaccination campaign in Niger. Vaccimonitor [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.2, pp. 17-23. ISSN 1025-028X.

Immunoprophylaxis is the choice strategy for the prevention and control of meningococcal meningitis epidemics caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A in the so-called meningitis belt of Africa, a disease that reaches high rates of morbidity and mortality. The lyophilized purified polysaccharide vaccine from Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A and C was produced as a result of a collaboration agreement between Finlay Institute, Center for Research, Development and Production of Vaccines, Cuba and the Institute of Technology and Bio-Immunobiologicals Manguinhos of Brazil, at the request of the World Health Organization to meet the needs of the vaccine in African countries in health emergencies. In the vaccination campaign carried out during an outbreak in Niger in 2009, a study of pharmacovigilance was conducted to describe the adverse events following the administration of this product to 303 037 people. Two methods were used to collect adverse events (spontaneous reporting and intensive search in hospitals). A total of 81 adverse events were reported, only 11% were under the category «induced by the vaccine» and considered «very probably related» to this. The results show that the vaccine used in the immunization campaign in Niger is safe, has low reactogenicity and their safety profile corresponds to that described in the sanitary medical registry in Brazil.

Keywords : Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine; serogroup A and C; pharmaco surveillance; adverse events.

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