Acute community-acquired meningitis and encephalitis

To the Editor: The article on acute community-acquired meningitis and encephalitis by Beaman and Wesselingh1 provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of diagnostic and management issues relevant to general clinicians. However, the section on vaccines for preventing meningococcal C and pneumococcal diseases is not as contemporary. Contrary to the authors' statements that "a conjugate vaccine covering serogroup C [meningococcus] will be available in Australia shortly", and "a conjugate vaccine [for pneumococcus] is currently under trial in Australia", conjugate vaccines for both diseases are available and registered for use in Australia. Conjugate vaccines have the advantage that they can be used in children from six weeks of age and are expected to provide long-term protection.

Meningitec is a meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine approved for use in children from six weeks of age, adolescents and adults. Meningitec has been available from Wyeth Australia since October 2001, but is not part of the National Childhood Immunisation Scheme and, as such, can only be obtained on private prescription at present.

Prevenar (pneumococcal septavalent conjugate vaccine) is also approved for use and has been available from Wyeth Australia since January 2001. Prevenar is indicated for active immunisation of infants and children from six weeks to nine years of age against invasive disease, pneumonia and otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.