Meningococcal Vaccine: for high risk children (9months to 10 years)

The meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is recommended for certain high risk children from ages 9 months through 10 years.

The high risk children for whom this vaccine is recommended include 

1. children who travel to, and United States citizens who reside in, countries where meningococcal meningitis is hyperendemic or epidemic (e.g. the African Meningitis Belt), 

2.persons with persistent complement component deficiencies (e.g., C5-C9, properdin, factor H, or factor D), 

3. persons with functional or anatomic asplenia, and children who are in a defined risk group during a community or institutional meningococcal disease outbreak. However, 9 through 23 month old children with functional or anatomic asplenia are NOT recommended to receive the vaccine.

A 2-dose primary series is recommended for any child with the risk factors described above whose first dose was received before their second birthday. 

Persons at increased risk because of complement component deficiencies and persons with functional or anatomic asplenia should receive a two dose primary series 2 months apart and then get a booster dose every 5 years. Children aged 9 months-6 years at increased risk are recommended to be revaccinated 3 years after their primary series, and then at 5 year intervals if they remain at risk.

In October 2010, ACIP voted to recommend a two-dose primary series of MCV4 given 2 months apart for 2 through 54 year olds with medical risk factors (complement component deficiency, functional or anatomic asplenia). 

In April 2011, ACIP voted to recommend MCV4 for children 9 through 23 months of age with certain medical risk factors (complement component deficiency).