Can the Meningococcal Vaccine Cause Meningococcal Disease?
The short answer is no. There are actually two meningococcal vaccines licensed in the U.S. Neither of the vaccines contains live bacteria. The vaccines contain antigens — substances that trigger the body’s immune system and cause it to make antibodies. These antibodies then protect the body by attacking and killing the bacteria if it should invade. The first vaccine — meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine or MPSV4 — was approved in 1978. It’s made with the antigens contained in the outer polysaccharide or sugar capsule that surrounds the bacterium. The newer vaccine approved in 2005 is the meningococcal conjugate vaccine or MCV4. It uses antigens taken from the polysaccharide capsule and then bound to a separate protein that targets the body’s immune cells. This makes it easier for the body’s immune system to see and recognize the antigens. MCV4 is licensed for use in people aged 2 to 55. MPSV4 is the only vaccine licensed for use in people over 55 as well as people 2 to 55. Both vac
