Potential new vaccine for WA's meningococcal threat
Perth researchers are about to trial a new vaccine that could potentially provide protection against the most common form of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.
Toddlers aged between 18 and 36 months and adolescent children between 10 and 12 years of age are needed for the research project, undertaken by the Vaccine Trials Group at The Kids for Child Health Research and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.
Study leader Dr Peter Richmond said there is no vaccine available currently to prevent the Meningococcal B strain of the bacteria that accounts for 80 per cent of cases in WA.
"Meningococcal B can cause meningitis and blood poisoning and can progress very quickly with devastating effects," Dr Richmond said.
"This is the last major cause of meningitis for which we don't have a vaccine.
"Children between the ages of one month and one year are most at risk from meningococcal with a second peak in adolescents, so it's very important that we ensure that this vaccine is safe and effective in children."
The vaccine has already been used in clinical trials in young adults with promising results.
Most study participants will be given the new vaccine while others will receive a government approved vaccine.
The meningococcal vaccine to be tested has been developed by Wyeth.
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