Impact of vaccination during an epidemic of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

To combat rising incidence of serogroup C meningococcal disease in the city of Salvador, Brazil, the Bahia state immunization program initiated routine childhood immunization with meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (MenC) in February 2010, followed by mass MenC vaccination of city residents 10–24 years of age from May through August 2010. We analyzed trends in incidence of reported cases of meningococcal disease and serogroup distribution among meningococcal isolates identified in hospital-based surveillance in Salvador from January 2000 to December 2011 and estimated vaccine effectiveness using the screening method. Annual incidence of serogroup C meningococcal disease increased from 0.1 cases per 100,000 population during 2000–2006 to 2.3 in 2009 and 4.1 in 2010, before falling to 2.0 per 100,000 in 2011. Estimated coverage of mass vaccination reached 80%, 67% and 41% among 10–14, 15–19 and 20–24 year olds, respectively. Incidence in 2011 was significantly lower than average rates in 2008–2009 among children <5 years, but reductions among 10–24 year olds were not significant. Among 10–24 year olds, a single dose of MenC vaccine was 100% effective (95% confidence interval, 79–100%) against serogroup C meningococcal disease. Low coverage in the population targeted for mass vaccination may have limited impact on ongoing transmission of serogroup C meningococcal disease despite high vaccine effectiveness.