Vaccination response has been impressive, but the hypermutable meningococcus is likely to continue to challenge us
In the past 100 years there have many dramatic fluctuations in the incidence of meningococcal disease in Australia, as Patel describes in this issue of the Journal.1 Rising socioeconomic status with reduced household crowding has probably been the major factor in curbing the overall incidence of the disease in recent decades,1 but the introduction in early 2003 of a routine vaccination against serogroup C for all infants (and a catch-up campaign for those aged under 20 years) has also had an undeniably impressive impact.
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We thank Professor John Tapsall and Professor Peter McIntyre for helpful discussions.
On occasions Robert Booy has received support from vaccine companies, including CSL, Sanofi Pasteur, Roche, and Wyeth, to attend or present at scientific meetings. If fees are offered to him, he directs them to a university research account. Michael Nissen has received travel assistance from Wyeth Australia to attend overseas meetings to present independent research.