The Kids Research Institute: Perth researchers make meningococcal breakthrough with combined vaccine
Parents could soon be able to immunise their children against all five common strains of meningococcal after Perth researchers demonstrated a combined vaccine was safe and effective in protecting children against the deadly disease.
The existing immunisations for meningococcal types A, B, C, W and Y are the combined MenACWY jab and a separate jab for MenB.
Researchers at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at The Kids Research Institute Australia, alongside national and international partners, found a 'pentavalent' vaccine taking in all five strains was as good at protecting against meningococcal as the two jabs given separately.
It could eliminate the need for multiple jabs in children under the age of five and people aged 10-25 — the two main risk groups for meningococcal.
'The results of the study showed that there was no interference in those (immune) responses, because we know both those vaccines are protected against meningococcal disease, and that it was safe and well tolerated,' said Professor Peter Richmond, head of the Vaccine Trials Group at the Wesfarmers Centre and head of paediatrics at UWA's medical school.
'Really, this is a major advance in prevention of meningococcal disease globally.'
Although rare, the nasty disease can quickly become life-threatening if it gets into the bloodstream or membranes lining the spinal cord and brain.
Children who survive are often left with long-term health complications like brain injuries, scarring or amputated limbs.
Chelsea Perrin's daughter Tahlea, 7, is one of those survivors, contracting meningococcal W in 2018 at just six months.
'The night she got sick . . . I woke up probably about three o'clock in the morning, and she was just really, really unwell,' Ms Perrin said.
'I didn't know what was wrong with her, but I knew that she just needed to get straight to the hospital. There was something seriously wrong.'
Living in Geraldton at the time, Ms Perrin drove her infant daughter straight to hospital. Upon arrival, she noticed Tahlea had a few spots on her head — the tell-tale rash of advancing meningococcal.
'She was going in and out of consciousness. She wasn't breathing very well, and then they rushed her straight through,' she said.
Doctors had to put Tahlea into an induced coma, and they were fearful enough for her life that they told Ms Perrin to say her goodbyes.
'Before they put her under they they told me, give her a kiss, you might not see her alive again, so kiss her now, say what you need to say to her,' she said.
'That was really hard. And then we were flown from Geraldton to Perth and straight to ICU.'
After three weeks in intensive care and 162 days — more than five months — on a general ward, her little battler made it through.
'It was horrific. A lot of it's a blur . . . it was just so terrifying,' Ms Perrin said.
The sinister disease left Tahlea with scarring to 80 per cent of her body, amputated fingers and toes, epilepsy and a brain injury that renders her unable to talk, walk or swallow on her own.
'Almost every system of her body has had some sort of damage,' Ms Perrin said.
'It's scary . . . this disease is not a game, and it doesn't discriminate.'
She said a five-strain combined vaccine on the national schedule would be a game-changer for families.
'The more people are vaccinated, the less people that have outcomes like this,' Ms Perrin said.
The MenABCWY's recent approval by the United States' Food and Drug Administration means the green light for use in Australia could be closer than we think.
'We would normally expect once it's been licensed in one country, it starts to become available in other countries within a couple of years,' Professor Richmond said.
'We're just waiting to hear when that will be.'
Despite a difficult start to life, seven-year-old Tahlea is living life to its fullest.
A competitive dancer, she's the reigning champion in her division alongside sister, Ava.
'She's got this special charisma about her, that just makes everyone fall in love with her personality,' Ms Perrin said.
She said if her 'extremely cheeky, very bright and bubbly' daughter is still smiling, they can get through anything.
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