Public health impact after the introduction of PsA-TT: The first 4 years

Background. During the first introduction of a group A meningococcal vaccine (PsA-TT) in 2010-2011 and its rollout from 2011 to 2013, >150 million eligible people, representing 12 hyperendemic meningitis countries, have been vaccinated. Methods. The new vaccine effectiveness evaluation framework was established by the World Health Organization and partners. Meningitis case-based surveillance was strengthened in PsA-TT first-introducer countries, and several evaluation studies were conducted to estimate the vaccination coverage and to measure the impact of vaccine introduction on meningococcal carriage and disease incidence. Results. PsA-TT implementation achieved high vaccination coverage, and results from studies conducted showed significant decrease of disease incidence as well as significant reduction of oropharyngeal carriage of group A meningococci in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, demonstrating the vaccine's ability to generate herd protection and prevent group A epidemics. Conclusions. Lessons learned from this experience provide useful insights in how to guide and better prepare for future new vaccine introductions in resource-limited settings.