College freshman living in dorms and adolescents entering high school are moving to the head of the line to receive Menactra, following an announcement from the manufacturer that the company won't be able to meet demand for the meningococcal vaccine at least through this summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May that Sanofi Pasteur Inc., maker of the tetravalent meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (MCV4), expects demand for the vaccine to exceed supply (MMWR May 19, 2006;55[Dispatch]:1).
In response, the CDC—in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College Health Association, and the Society for Adolescent Medicine—recommends that providers continue to vaccinate adolescents entering high school (if they have not been previously vaccinated) and college freshman living in dorms. The company anticipates that enough MCV4 will be available to meet demand for these two groups, based on current supply projections.
Vaccination of children aged 11–12 years should be deferred until further notice. If possible, physicians should track any children in this age group, for whom MCV4 vaccination has been deferred, and recall them when the supply improves.
Other high-risk groups that should be vaccinated include: military recruits, travelers to areas where meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic, microbiologists who are routinely exposed to isolates of Neisseria meningitidis, individuals with anatomic or functional asplenia, and individuals with terminal complement deficiency.
For periodic updates of vaccine supply, visit www.cdc.gov/nip/news/shortages/default.htm
Physicians with questions about their orders should contact Sanofi Pasteur by calling 800-822-2436 or by visiting www.vaccineshoppe.com