A new MenB vaccine is the first one designed to cover different strains of meningococcal B infection around the world. This vaccine has taken 20 years to develop and was licensed throughout Europe in January.
The vaccine protects against about seven in 10 variants of the MenB bug so it will not completely eradicate the infection. The charity Meningitis UK, estimates that there are 1,870 cases of meningitis B each year in the UK
The MHRA recently decided not to use the MenB vaccine in the current childhood vaccine schedule.
The vaccine course consists of a course of two vaccines at least a month apart. In small children it is boosted in one year, but in adults the need for boosting is unknown as yet.
Princeton University will make a meningitis B vaccine available to all undergraduate students, graduate students living in dorms or the Graduate College and annexes, and other university community members with particular medical conditions, the school said. Princeton has reported eight cases of meningitis B since March.
Students are at special risk of meningitis as it is spread by droplet infection, coughing and living in enclosed space, mixing with many people from all corners of the earth.
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