OVERVIEW
The vaccine used to prevent epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis (ECM) is known as the ECM vaccine.
Significance of vaccination
Meningococcal meningitis is a purulent meningitis caused by meningococcal infection. It is a common acute infectious disease in winter and spring, and is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets. The main manifestations of the disease are fever, severe headache, vomiting, drowsiness, coma, convulsions, ankylosis, a few children with arthralgia, and a few hours after the onset of the disease, a large number of bruises on the skin and mucous membranes can be seen, and bruising spots, and bruising can be severe enough to cause localized necrosis of the skin. The best way to prevent this serious disease is vaccination.
Types and immunization procedures
At present, there are 2 types of vaccines used to prevent meningococcal infection: polysaccharide vaccine and conjugate vaccine. Polysaccharide vaccine has 3 varieties: Group A, Group A+C, Group A+C+Y+W135, and conjugate vaccine has Group A+C conjugate vaccine.
1. Group A Polysaccharide Influenza Vaccine
This vaccine is now a class I vaccine in the National Immunization Program and is provided by the government for free. It is applicable to children aged 6 months to 15 years. The basic immunization is 2 injections, starting at 6 months of age, with an interval of 3 months between each injection; children over 3 years old only need 1 injection.
2. Group A+C Polysaccharide Influenza Vaccine
This vaccine is a class I vaccine in the National Immunization Program and is provided by the government for free. It is suitable for people over 2 years old. For those who have received 1 dose of Group A Influenza Vaccine, the interval between the Group A+C Influenza Vaccine and the Group A Influenza Vaccine should not be less than 3 months; for those who have received 2 doses of Group A Influenza Vaccine, the interval between the Group A+C Influenza Vaccine and the last dose of the Group A Influenza Vaccine should not be less than 1 year. Children should receive 1 dose each at the age of 3 years and 6 years (the interval between the two doses should not be less than 3 years).
3. Group A+C Influenza Conjugate Vaccine
This vaccine is now a Class II vaccine and is administered according to the principles of informed, voluntary and self-financing. It is suitable for children and adults above 6 months of age (some manufacturers’ vaccines can be administered from 3 months of age).
4. Polysaccharide Influenza Vaccine Group A+C+Y+W135
This vaccine is now a Class II vaccine and is administered according to the principles of informed, voluntary, and self-payment. It is used for children and adults over 2 years old. Recommended for people traveling to or living in endemic areas, medical personnel, laboratory personnel, and military personnel.
It is given by subcutaneous injection at the deltoid muscle attachment on the lateral side of the upper arm. As “Influenza” mostly occurs in winter, and it takes more than one month after vaccination for antibodies to develop and play an anti-disease role, the vaccination for Influenza needs to be given in advance until October and not later than November at the latest. In addition, the temperature and natural environment in October are more suitable for vaccination.
Vaccination Targets
For children over 2 years of age, group A and C polysaccharide vaccines have a short-term effect of 85% to 100%, while group A+C polysaccharide vaccines provide protection for at least 3 years, but the protection is more transient in children under 2 years of age. The compensatory option is to vaccinate with the group A+C conjugate vaccine, which provides better protection for babies under 2 years of age, with a protection rate of more than 90%.
Contraindications
1. Children with acute infectious diseases or fever should be deferred from vaccination.
2. Children with acute and chronic diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease and active tuberculosis, neurological diseases such as epilepsy, hysteria, convulsions (febrile convulsions), sequelae of encephalitis and children with allergies should not be vaccinated.
Adverse reactions and precautions
Adverse reactions after vaccination are very mild, manifested as redness and pressure pain at the injection site, most of which subside within 24 hours. A small number of babies may have transient fever, which generally does not require special treatment, but if it exceeds 38℃, antipyretic measures are needed. Individual babies may have allergic reactions and should consult their doctors.