Other brands:
Meningococcal A, C, Y, W conjugate vaccine:
Meningococcal C only conjugate vaccine:
Meningococcal group B only recombinant vaccine
Vaccine type: subunit conjugate
Schedule and administration
Menactra® is funded for children and adults with a medical condition that increases their risk of invasive meningococcal disease AND is listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. The vaccine is available for purchase by people with a medical condition that is not listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
Special groups
Menactra is recommended and funded from 2 years of age for any of the following:
- One dose for a close contacts of meningococcal disease case
- One dose for adolescents and young adults aged 13–25 years inclusively who are living in a boarding school hostel or university hall of residence, military barracks or prison.
- Two doses for individuals post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; or following immunosuppression due to steroid or other immunosuppressive therapy longer than 28 days
- Up to three doses plus booster doses (as appropriate) for individuals pre- or post-splenectomy; pre- or post-solid organ transplantation; with functional asplenia; complement deficiency (acquired or inherited); or who are HIV-positive
Conjugated meningococcal vaccine is recommended, but not funded, for individuals:
- Infants and young children aged under 5 years, adolescents and young adults who do not meet the eligibility crieria listed above
- Who are laboratory workers regularly handling meningococcal cultures
- Who are travelling to high-risk countries or before the Hajj
Catch-up doses
Eligibility for adolescents and young adults aged 13–25 years inclusively who were already living in a boarding school hostel or university hall of residence, military barracks or prison on 1 December 2019 only have up to and including 30 November 2020 to receive a funded catch-up Menactra vaccination.
Storage and preparation
Store as per cold chain between 2°C to 8°C. Protect from light.
Administration
Menactra can be administered at the same visit as other vaccines including vaccines on the national immunisation schedule except PCV13 (Prevenar 13). Where both Prevenar 13 and Menactra are to be given, administration of Menactra must be at least 4 weeks before or after a dose of Prevenar 13.
For:
Healthy infants and children aged 9–23 months
- Two doses three months apart
- If still at risk 3 years later - offer a booster dose
Healthy children aged 2 years to under 7 years
- One dose
- If still at risk 3 years later – offer a booster dose
Healthy children aged 7 years or over and adults
- One dose
- If still at risk 5 years later – offer a booster dose
Children aged 2 years to under 7 years with a medical condition that increases their risk of meningococcal disease
- Two doses eight weeks apart
- If still at risk 3 years later – offer a booster dose
Children aged 7 years or over and adults with a medical condition that increases their risk of meningococcal disease:
- Two doses eight weeks apart
- If still at risk 5 years later - offer a booster dose
Vaccine safety
More than 20 years of studies and safety monitoring have shown that the conjugate meningococcal vaccines have excellent safely profiles.
Menactra should not be given to:
- Anyone with severe allergy (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of this vaccine or other meningococcal vaccine, or a component of the vaccine
- Administration of Menactra should be postponed in individuals suffering from a fever over 38°C. The presence of a minor infection is not a reason to delay immunisation
Specialist advice should be sought for the following groups:
- Those with bleeding disorders, such as haemophilia. The vaccine should be administered in accordance with the haematologist’s instructions. It may, in this situation only, be given subcutaneously
- Those with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Vaccine effectiveness
Protection against meningococcal disease is dependent on an individual having adequate existing circulating protection provided by antibodies because the bacteria cause disease more quickly than the immune system can generate new protection. Immunisation generates circulating antibodies. Over time the antibody levels decrease. The number and quality of antibodies and how long they last depend on what type of vaccine is used, the meningococcal group(s) covered by the vaccine, and the age of the person receiving the vaccine.
As there are generally low numbers of meningococcal disease cases in countries such as Australia, England, Germany, New Zealand and the United States it is not possible to determine exactly how many cases of disease are prevented by vaccination and how long protection after vaccination lasts. Instead, the immune system response and antibody levels are used as an alternative measure of how well and how long meningococcal vaccines can protect from disease.
A case-control study in the US found that the overall vaccine effectiveness in adolescents was 69% up to 6 years after one dose of vaccine. Less than one year after vaccination, vaccine effectiveness was around 82% and at 3–6 years post vaccination, the vaccine was 59% effective in adolescents. Around 71-95% of adolescents, who received one dose Menactra between ages 11–18 years, had protective antibody levels three years later.
After two doses of Menactra, 96–100% of infants aged 9–12 months have protective antibodies against meningococcal groups A, C and Y and 86% have antibodies against group W-135.
Older children, adolescents and adults are expected to have at least five years protection after immunisation. Children aged 9–23 months at the time of their last Menactra immunisation are likely to have fewer years of protection but the exact period of time is not known.
A booster vaccination should be considered for individuals who remain at increased risk of meningococcal disease:
- For children aged 9–23 months when they received their second Menactra dose consider a booster vaccination after three years
- For children aged 2 years to under 7 years consider a booster vaccination after three years
- For children aged 7 years or older and adults consider a booster vaccination after five years
