The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7211 p208
17 August 2002

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BMJ (bmj.com)

All haj pilgrims need meningitis vaccine

Of those pilgrims returning from the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina (haj), almost a fifth (17 per cent) are carrying meningococcal bacteria, a study in this week's BMJ shows (2002;325:365).

As such, vaccination should become mandatory for all haj pilgrims, and should also be considered for their families, say the researchers. They point out that many countries currently give meningococcal vaccine (covering A and C strains) to haj pilgrims but suggest that vaccination with the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (also covering the W135 strain) should become mandatory.

"Transmission of this clone from vaccinated haj returnees to their unvaccinated household contacts was substantial, putting contacts at particular risk of developing invasive disease," they add.