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.