• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Africa
  4. New 'gamechanger' meningitis vaccine brings hope
Africa

New 'gamechanger' meningitis vaccine brings hope

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 25 May 11:40

Meningitis kills nearly 250,000 people a year, but this new vaccine could drastically curb that number.

  • New 'gamechanger' meningitis vaccine
    Children in subSaharan Africa getting meningitis vaccines in 2009. (AFP)

Meningitis kills roughly 250,000 people each year, but a meningitis vaccination that is both effective and economical has been successfully tested in Africa, in hopes that the disease's mortality rate will decrease drastically. 

The NmCV-5 vaccine, developed by the Serum Institute of India and the global health organization Path, would protect against the five primary meningococcal strains seen in Africa, including the developing X strain, for which no approved injectable is currently available.

Read more: WHO official says vaccines prevent up to 5M deaths a year

Mali and Gambia held trials for the vaccine in 2021 according to a New England Journal of Medicine paper. The researchers discovered that NmCV-5 elicited a powerful immune response against all five viruses.

Bacterial or viral infections inflame the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, resulting in meningitis. At least 60% of deaths related to meningitis around the world occur in Africa, mainly along the "meningitis belt" that runs from the Gambia and Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east.

According to studies, those in Africa are twice as likely as those in high-income nations to have major chronic repercussions from the condition, due to variables such as late diagnosis and treatment.

Most African nations require tens of millions of doses of existing vaccines that protect against four forms of meningitis. Although the MenAfriVac vaccine, which was introduced in 2010, significantly reduced instances of meningococcal A, large-scale outbreaks associated to other strains are widespread throughout Africa.

The NmCV-5 gene therapy is expected to be accessible in the next months.

Co-author of the study, Ed Clarke, expressed excitement about the results, explaining that researchers "Expect NmCV-5 to provide children and young adults with reliable protection against meningitis caused by the meningococcal bacteria in Africa.”

Clarke added that it could be "game-changing for epidemic meningitis control in the meningitis belt."

"We look forward to seeing the vaccine rolled out in the region as soon as possible," he said.

By 2030, the World Health Organization hopes to cut vaccine-preventable meningitis by 50% and fatalities by 70%.

 

  • Meningitis
  • Fungal meningitis
  • Africa
  • Vaccines

Trending Now

All
What do You Know About Breakthrough Infections and Vaccinations?

What do You Know About Breakthrough Infections and Vaccinations?

People use a hand-washing station installed for members of the public entering a market in Dodoma, Tanzania, May 18, 2020 (AP)

Tanzania investigates mysterious sickness after 3 deaths

Most Read

US linguist Noam Chomsky, who was among 550 academics who signed the petition calling on Glasgow University to respect free speech (AFP)

Chomsky: EU will deindustrialize if it abides by US-run world order

  • Europe
  • 31 May
Haaretz

Mossad agent killed in Italy part of anti-Iran mission: Israeli media

  • Europe
  • 3 Jun
Singer Adele performs during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP)

Calls for Adele to cancel her 'Israel' concert

  • Palestine
  • 31 May
Actuating an Israeli ‘Solution’ – via an al-Aqsa Emergency

Actuating an Israeli ‘Solution’ – via an al-Aqsa Emergency

  • Analysis
  • 4 Jun

Read this

All
Iran will have nearly $24 billion of its frozen funds released soon
MENA

Iran will have nearly $24 billion of its frozen funds released soon

  • 6 Jun
This file video grab image shows part of an unclassified video taken by US navy pilots showing interactions with ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’. (AP)
US & Canada

Whistleblower accuses Pentagon of hiding alien creatures, spaceships

  • 6 Jun
Report: 675 million people live without electricity globally
Africa

675 million people on global level lack access to electricity: Report

  • Today
Israeli occupation police officers at a checkpoint, north of occupied Al-Quds on September 18, 2019 (AP)
Palestine

IOF base infiltrated; ammo, arms gone missing: Israeli media

  • 6 Jun
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS