A Licensed Combined Haemophilus influenzae Type b-Serogroups C and Y Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Abstract

The highest incidence of meningococcal disease occurs in infants younger than 1 year of age. However, in the US, prior to June 2012, there was no meningococcal vaccine licensed for use in this age group. In the US, where both serogroups C and Y contribute substantially to the overall epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease, a vaccine combining these capsular polysaccharides was developed. We review the newly licensed HibMenCY-TT (MenHibrix™, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium), a novel vaccine containing Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and serogroups C and Y Neisseria meningitidis conjugated to tetanus toxoid. We describe the vaccine, summarize the clinical trial data, and describe the patient populations recommended to receive HibMenCY-TT as their primary vaccination against Hib. Phase II and III clinical trials found HibMenCY-TT to be well tolerated, safe, and immunogenic when administered at 2, 4, 6, and 12–15 months of age for primary vaccination against both Hib and serogroups C and Y meningococcal disease. In October 2012, the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practice in the US recommended HibMenCY-TT vaccination for infants at increased risk of meningococcal disease. HibMenCY-TT may be given concomitantly with other routine infant vaccines. It induces antibodies against Hib as well as bactericidal activity against meningococcal serogroup C and Y without increasing the number of injections required. As meningococcal disease epidemiology is dynamic, global surveillance remains essential. In the future, other countries may also benefit from the addition of HibMenCY-TT into their vaccine armamentarium against meningococcal disease.

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors at National Blood Transfusion Service, Eritrea: a seven-year retrospective study

“…According to this study, the prevalence of HIV among blood donors was 0.7%. The proportion is considerably lower compared to other studies conducted elsewhere in Africa [ 1 , 7 , 10 , 21 , 26 ]. However, it was higher than the results obtained in Libya (0.014%) [ 27 ] and Egypt (0.00%) [ 28 ].…”

“…This was slightly higher than findings from previously studies from Southern Africa [ 9 , 12 ]. Although this value compares favourably to findings from a study in North West Ethiopia [ 3 ], the prevalence was lower when compared to studies conducted in Egypt (4.3%) [ 21 ] , Tanzania 1.5% [ 22 ], Ethiopia [ 1 ] and Sudan 3.4% [ 23 ]. This result corroborates the assertion that HCV poses less risk to blood transfusion in Southern parts of Africa by virtue of low prevalence [ 2 ].…”

A combinatorial DNA assembly approach to biosynthesis ofN-linked glycans inE. coli

“…This burgeoning technology, known as Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT), offers the potential to custom design and combine protein and glycan structures in safe, genetically tractable bacterial strains ( Kay et al 2019 ). Due to their typical surface location and central role in disease, glycans are the prime candidates for diagnostic and glycoconjugate vaccine development ( Ladhani 2012 ; Perrett et al 2013 ; Micoli et al 2018 ).…”

Recent advances in the production of recombinant glycoconjugate vaccines

“…Coupling a glycan to a protein results in multiple triggers for the immune system; creating long-term immunological memory and increasing vaccine stability. Examples of current glycoconjugate vaccines 1 fully licensed for human use include those for Haemophilus influenzae type B, 2,3 Neisseria meningitidis 4 and some Streptococcus pneumoniae 5 strains. A major advantage of glycoconjugate vaccines over many existing vaccines is that they are suitable for most human populations, including infants and the elderly.…”