A trial of a group A plus group C meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine in African infants.

The safety and immunogenicity of a group A plus group C meningococcal polysaccharide-CRM197 conjugate vaccine was evaluated in 304 8- to 10-week-old Gambian infants. Infants were immunized with one, two, or three doses of conjugate vaccine or with two doses of a meningococcal A plus C polysaccharide vaccine. The conjugate vaccine produced few systemic side effects, and local reactions were similar to those produced by the polysaccharide vaccine. Postvaccination group A meningococcal polysaccharide antibody levels, measured by ELISA, increased progressively after one, two, or three doses of conjugate vaccine. However, one dose of conjugate vaccine given at the age of 6 months induced a higher group C meningococcal antibody response than did two doses of conjugate vaccine given at 2 and 6 months. Two doses of conjugate vaccine induced higher levels of antibody than did two doses of polysaccharide vaccine. Thus, this new meningococcal conjugate vaccine proved to be safe and immunogenic.