Meningitis is an infection of the fluid surrounding the spinal cord and the fluid around the brain, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The infection can be caused by bacteria as well as viruses.

Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability, the CDC revealed. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial form of the infection.

Currently no vaccine is licensed in the United States against this potentially lethal disease for babies. However the Haemophilus influenza (Hib) and pneumococcal vaccines do confer protection against certain types of meningitis caused by bacteria.

Another two vaccines are directed specifically at infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. One dosage is intended for children between ages 2 to 10, while the other is suited for children older than 11 years.

However there is no vaccine that can protect babies and children aged less than two years. Now researchers from Britain and Canada are touting a new vaccine manufactured by Novartis as having the ability to provide immunity to babies and young children.

"There are approximately 1,400 to 2,800 cases of meningococcal infections in the United States per year. Approximately 10 to 14 percent of people experiencing this disease will die, and 20 percent of survivors will have long-term disabilities," said the author of the latest study Dr. Matthew Snape, a pediatrician at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

The phase II randomized, controlled trial involved 421 infants aged 2 months. there were 225 British infants and 196 Canadian infants.

The former received Menveo, which is the new vaccine, at 2, 3 and 4 months of age or at 2 and 4 months of age. One group was also given N. meningitides vaccines at 2 and 4 months. However all infants received the new vaccine at one year of age.

The Canadian infants also followed the same regimen. The researchers found that protective antibodies were elaborated by most of the children receiving the new vaccine. Menveo, which does not contain thimerosal, was well tolerated by the babies and did not cause significant side effects, Dr Snape revealed.

Reporting in the January 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers added that protective antibody levels were seen in 94 percent or above for all the meningococcus types.

According to the CDC, some of the symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, and stiff neck. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly.

Hence it appears important to have a vaccine to protect newborns against meningitis. the above study is promising in that aspect. Novartis has revealed that it will be conducting further trials and hopes to license the vaccine in the United States this year.