Meningitis risk rises as vaccine runs out

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Some children will be at higher risk of contracting meningococcal disease after vaccine stocks ran out last week.

A Health Ministry spokeswoman confirmed there had been a temporary supply glitch in the availability of the MeNZB, which helps to protect against the epidemic strain of meningococcal disease.

A further shipment of the vaccine is expected to arrive today, but quality control checks will delay its distribution till next week.

Immunisation Advisory Centre director Nikki Turner, of Auckland University, said the centre had been fielding inquiries from GPs concerned about dwindling supplies.

"It's a temporary nuisance, but it is a bit of a worry," she said. "Some children will definitely be at higher risk because of the delay in getting all their vaccinations."

It was vital that babies who began their meningococcal B vaccinations before they were six months old had four doses, she said.

The ministry blamed the supply delay on "changes and enhancements to the vaccine manufacturing site".

The vaccine's maker, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, would not comment.

The ministry said many general practices still held stocks of the vaccine.

However, Wellington GPs contacted by The Dominion Post said supplies had run out toward the end of last week and parents were having to reschedule their children's vaccination appointments.

There were seven cases of meningococcal disease reported in the Wellington region in July, including four children and one teenager.

The MeNZB immunisation campaign for all people under 20 began in July 2004.

Since then, 97 fully vaccinated children have contracted a strain of meningococcal disease, but only 35 have contracted the epidemic strain. One fully vaccinated child has died from the epidemic strain.

A Unicef report published this year ranked New Zealand third from bottom among 25 developed countries for the percentage of children aged between 12 and 23 months who had been fully immunised against the main vaccine- preventable diseases.