Laboratory workers who frequently handle Neisseria meningitidis are recommended to receive MenACWY and MenB vaccines
Laboratory workers who are at occupational risk of exposure to Neisseria meningitidis are recommended to receive vaccines against all vaccine-preventable meningococcal serogroups. Specifically:
- 1 dose of MenACWY vaccine, with a booster dose every 5 years for those with ongoing risk of exposure and
- 2 doses of MenB vaccine, with a single booster dose 5 years after completing the primary schedule for those at ongoing risk of exposure
There is no preference for brand of MenACWY vaccine — MenQuadfi, Menveo or Nimenrix — for laboratory workers.
For information on interchangeability of vaccine brands for primary and booster doses see Interchangeability of meningococcal vaccines.
People who have previously received a meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine
People who have previously received a meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine
Laboratory workers with ongoing occupational exposure risks who have previously received a quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (4vMenPV— previously available in Australia but now discontinued) are recommended to receive 1 dose of MenACWY conjugate vaccine. They should receive this dose 2 years after the most recent dose of 4vMenPV, with a recommended minimum interval of 6 months.1-3 They are also recommended to receive booster doses of MenACWY vaccine.