Infectious disease specialists see the need for urgent measures due to meningococcus

Russia needs to take urgent action due to the sharp rise in meningococcal infections, especially among vulnerable population groups. Doctors and infectious disease specialists interviewed by RBC told this.

Currently, 1,200 cases of meningococcal infection have been recorded in Russia, and the number is growing, infectious disease specialist and MD Ekaterina Stepanova told RBC. "And over the entire last year, according to Rospotrebnadzor, 600 cases of meningococcal infection were recorded. Therefore, even now, we're already seeing a two-fold increase, which indicates the need for additional measures, particularly vaccination , particularly for vulnerable groups, if we follow the latest sanitary regulations for infectious disease prevention," she said.

It's time to add meningococcal vaccination to the immunization schedule, infectious disease specialist and MD Mikhail Favorov told RBC. He said it's best to vaccinate with "a vaccine that provides protective immunity to all serotypes." "These vaccines exist, they've been invented, and we need to invest in their production and start producing them," he added.

Currently, the meningococcal vaccine is included in the vaccination schedule for epidemiological indications. "This makes it possible to vaccinate people in the event of an epidemiological emergency, those who have been in contact with the virus, and those at risk. These primarily include children , adolescents, and people in crowded settings (for example, conscripts living in barracks, students living in dormitories, adults in closed institutions), and generally anyone with a compromised immune system," says Ekaterina Stepanova. However, Russia currently lacks universal meningococcal immunization, which Favorov believes is necessary.

The rise in meningococcal cases in some regions could be due to several factors, infectious disease specialist and pediatrician Lilit Arakelyan told RBC. Some parents are refusing to give up their children due to the pandemic.COVID-19 and subsequent vaccinations, including against meningococcus, were missed or postponed; residents of the country began to frequent large gatherings; cases of imported strains began to rise following increased travel, and anti-vaxxers became more common. "What should we do? Vaccination is the only preventative measure. Vaccines against meningococcal groups A, C, W, Y, and B are registered and available in Russia," Arakelyan explained.

RBC sent a request to the Ministry of Health .

Earlier, Vladimir Chulanov, a freelance infectious disease specialist at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that the rising incidence of meningococcal infections is partly due to the incidence among migrant workers who arrived in Russia. In May, cases of meningococcal infection were detected among employees of a distribution center in the Ryazan Region. The overcrowding of migrants in the metropolis is leading to an increase in cases, Alexey Rtishchev, the chief freelance infectious disease specialist for children in the Central Administrative District of Moscow, also stated in May.

The Presidential Human Rights Council (HRC) has proposed introducing mandatory vaccination for migrant workers. According to Olga Demicheva, a physician and council member, infections are often imported into the country, leading to illness even among vaccinated citizens.

But vaccinating migrants is pointless, Favorov believes. "Vaccinating migrants doesn't make much sense. Because if someone is infected, just a carrier, and has already returned from their home country, then there's no point in vaccinating them. Vaccinations should be administered before they become infected. Vaccinating infected people is pointless," he told RBC.

Meningococcal disease is an acute infectious disease caused by the meningococcus bacteria. Prevention is controlled by vaccination. Transmission occurs through the air, either from a person with severe symptoms or from asymptomatic carriers.

In 10–30% of cases, meningococcal nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and pharynx) develops, manifesting as an acute respiratory infection or tonsillitis. Less than 1% of cases develop more severe forms, such as meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

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