II. Indications (age 10 years old or older)

  1. Serotype B Meningococcal Meningitis exposure
  2. Asplenia
  3. Sickle Cell Disease
  4. Specific immune deficiency (e.g. complement deficiency, or complement inhibitor use)
  5. College Students in dormitory, fraternity, sorority (age 16 to 23 years)
    1. Optional adjunct to Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV4)
    2. Required in addition to MCV4 by some colleges

III. Mechanism

  1. Covers only Serotype B Meningococcus
    1. Accounts for one third of meningococcal cases
    2. Serotype B outbreaks are most common in infants and college students
  2. Contrast with Menactra, Menveo and Menomune which cover serotypes A, C, W and Y
    1. Indicated for all U.S. children as part of the Primary Series
  3. MenABCWY Conjugate Vaccines (pentavalent with added MenB coverage as of 2024)
    1. Pentavalent Vaccines that included MenB were Introduced in U.S. in 2024

IV. Medications: MenB Only Vaccines (FDA approved in 2014)

  1. See MenABCWY Conjugate Vaccine (includes MenB coverage in addition to MenACWY)
  2. Precautions
    1. Must use same preparation for both doses (not interchangeable)
    2. Three dose regimens are the standard protocol
    3. Two dose regimens may be used for healthy patients ages 16-23 years without other indications
      1. Used in College Students in dormitory who are not otherwise at increased meningococcal risk
      2. Two dose regimen at least 6 months apart (0 and 6 months)
      3. Otherwise use 3 dose regimens for all preparations (MenB-FHbp, MenB-4C)
  3. MenB-FHbp (Trumenba)
    1. Three dose series (0, 2 and 6 months)
  4. MenB-4C (Bexsero)
    1. Three dose series (0, 2 and 6 months)

V. Resources

VI. References

  1. (2025) Presc Lett 32(1):1-2
  2. Jacobson (2017) Vaccine Update,Mayo Clinic Reviews, Rochester, MN
  3. (2015) Presc Lett 22(10): 59
  4. Ackerman (2015) Am Fam Physician 92(6): 460-8 [PubMed]
  5. Cohn (2013) MMWR Recomm Rep 62(RR-2):1-28 [PubMed]

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