GENOMIC VACCINE DESIGN
Reverse vaccinology and MenB
Research describes how genomic antigen discovery contributed to the development of multicomponent MenB vaccines.
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VACCINOLOGY / MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
Meningitis
Vaccines.
Explore how vaccine antigens activate protective immune responses against important bacterial pathogens responsible for meningitis and invasive disease.
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FIG 01 / ANTIGEN RECOGNITION
Conceptual illustration • Not to scale
01 / IMMUNOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Prevention through
immune memory.
Vaccines expose the immune system to selected antigens, helping it develop pathogen-specific immune responses without causing the corresponding invasive bacterial disease.
Protective immunity often involves antibodies that recognize microbial structures. Conjugate vaccines attach bacterial capsular polysaccharides to carrier proteins; protein-based meningococcal B vaccines target selected bacterial proteins or outer-membrane components.
Scientific distinction:
Meningitis vaccines target specific pathogens
or serogroups. No single vaccine prevents
all causes of meningitis.
02 / VACCINE CLASSIFICATION
The meningitis vaccine atlas.
Five scientific profiles covering important vaccine categories used to prevent invasive bacterial diseases, including meningitis.
VACCINE ATLAS / 01
A
C
W
Y
MenACWY
Quadrivalent conjugate vaccines targeting meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y.
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VACCINE ATLAS / 02
B
MenB
Serogroup B meningococcal vaccines based on selected protein antigens and, in some formulations, outer-membrane vesicles.
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VACCINE ATLAS / 03
Pneumococcal
Vaccines targeting selected Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular serotypes, including conjugate formulations.
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VACCINE ATLAS / 04
Hib
Hib
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines targeting the organism's type b capsular polysaccharide.
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VACCINE ATLAS / 05
A
B
C
W
Y
MenABCWY
Pentavalent meningococcal vaccines combining coverage directed at serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y.
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03 / MOLECULAR VACCINE DESIGN
Two major antigen
design strategies.
Different meningitis vaccine platforms use distinct antigenic structures to induce protective immune responses.
PLATFORM A
Conjugate vaccines
Bacterial capsular polysaccharides are chemically linked to carrier proteins. This promotes T-cell-dependent immune responses and immunological memory to the polysaccharide antigen.
Examples: MenACWY, Hib, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
PLATFORM B
Protein-based vaccines
MenB vaccines can use selected surface proteins and other antigenic components. Reverse vaccinology has helped identify vaccine candidates through genomic analysis.
Examples: MenB protein-antigen formulations
04 / RESEARCH EVIDENCE
From molecular design
to population protection.
Vaccine evidence comes from immunogenicity studies, clinical trials, surveillance, and real-world evaluations. The following publications illustrate major areas of meningitis vaccine research.
PNEUMOCOCCAL EVIDENCE
Conjugate vaccine effectiveness
A matched case-control study evaluated PCV13 effectiveness against invasive pneumococcal disease in children.
VIEW RESEARCH ↗MENINGOCOCCAL EVIDENCE
Real-world MenB protection
Post-licensure research has investigated the impact of 4CMenB vaccination on invasive serogroup B disease.
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05 / SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS
Key vaccine
questions.
Which vaccines help prevent meningitis?
Meningococcal, pneumococcal, and Hib vaccines help prevent invasive diseases caused by selected bacterial pathogens. Some vaccines against viral infections can also prevent infections that occasionally cause meningitis.
What is the difference between MenACWY and MenB?
MenACWY targets meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y using conjugate vaccine technology. MenB vaccines use selected protein-based antigens to protect against serogroup B disease.
What is a MenABCWY vaccine?
MenABCWY is a pentavalent meningococcal vaccine category covering serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y. Product eligibility and schedules depend on current regional recommendations.
Does one vaccine prevent every type of meningitis?
No. Meningitis has several infectious and noninfectious causes. Each vaccine targets specific organisms or antigens.
06 / SOURCE LIBRARY
Scientific references.
- WHO — Meningitis Fact Sheet
- CDC — Types of Meningococcal Vaccines
- CDC — Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations
- The Development of a Vaccine Against Meningococcus B Using Reverse Vaccinology
- PCV13 Effectiveness Against Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Children
Educational scientific content. Individual vaccination decisions should follow professional advice and applicable immunization recommendations.
NEXT / VACCINE SCIENTIFIC PROFILE
MenACWY Vaccines
Explore quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines.