Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Vaccine. 2011 Apr 18;29(18):3363-71. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.02.058. Epub 2011 Mar 3.
The Global Meningococcal Initiative (GMI) is composed of an international group of scientists, clinicians and public health officials with expertise in meningococcal immunology, epidemiology and prevention. The primary goal of the GMI is the promotion of the global prevention of invasive meningococcal disease through education and research. The GMI members reviewed global meningococcal disease epidemiology, immunization strategies, and research needs. Over the past decade, substantial advances in meningococcal vaccine development have occurred and much has been learned about prevention from countries that have incorporated meningococcal vaccines into their immunization programs. The burden of meningococcal disease is unknown for many parts of the world because of inadequate surveillance, which severely hampers evidence-based immunization policy. As the field of meningococcal vaccine development advances, global surveillance for meningococcal disease needs to be strengthened in many regions of the world. For countries with meningococcal vaccination policies, research on vaccine effectiveness and impact, including indirect effects, is crucial for informing policy decisions. Each country needs to tailor meningococcal vaccination policy according to individual country needs and knowledge of disease burden. Innovative approaches are needed to introduce and sustain meningococcal vaccination programs in resource-poor settings with a high incidence of meningococcal disease.
全球脑膜炎球菌倡议（GMI）由一组在脑膜炎球菌免疫、流行病学和预防方面具有专业知识的国际科学家、临床医生和公共卫生官员组成。GMI 的主要目标是通过教育和研究促进全球预防侵袭性脑膜炎球菌病。GMI 成员审查了全球脑膜炎球菌病流行病学、免疫接种策略和研究需求。在过去的十年中，脑膜炎球菌疫苗的开发取得了重大进展，并且从将脑膜炎球菌疫苗纳入免疫规划的国家中学到了很多关于预防的知识。由于监测不足，世界上许多地区都不知道脑膜炎球菌病的负担，这严重阻碍了基于证据的免疫政策。随着脑膜炎球菌疫苗开发领域的进展，世界上许多地区的脑膜炎球菌病全球监测需要加强。对于有脑膜炎球菌疫苗接种政策的国家，疫苗效力和影响的研究，包括间接影响，对于为政策决策提供信息至关重要。每个国家都需要根据本国的具体需求和对疾病负担的了解，制定适合本国的脑膜炎球菌疫苗接种政策。需要创新方法来引入和维持资源匮乏地区的脑膜炎球菌疫苗接种计划，这些地区脑膜炎球菌病发病率高。
