Cuban Meningococcal Vaccine VA-MENGOC-BC: 30 Years of Use and Future Potential

ABSTRACT Every year, meningococcal infection by Neisseria meningitidis causes over 500,000 cases and 85,000 deaths in the world, with 20% of survivors suffering sequelae. In Cuba its incidence in 1980 reached 5.9 cases per 100,000 population; about 80% of cases were serogroup B, prompting health authorities to declare meningococcal disease the country’s main public health problem. Several provinces reported over 120 cases per 100,000 children aged 4 years). The vaccine and its proteoliposome technology have had an impact and continue to have potential, not only for meningococcal disease, but also for development of other vaccines and adjuvants.