Rapid response to a college outbreak of meningococcal serogroup B disease: Nation's first widespread use of bivalent rLP2086 vaccine.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To outline the reasoning behind use of bivalent rLP2086 in a Rhode Island college meningococcal B disease outbreak, highlighting the timeline from outbreak declaration to vaccination clinic, emphasizing that these two time points are <3 days apart. PARTICIPANTS: Staff, faculty, and students at College X eligible for vaccination. METHODS: An outbreak response was initiated, advantages/disadvantages of available MenB vaccines were discussed, and a vaccination clinic was coordinated. RESULTS: Bivalent rLP2086 was chosen as the vaccination intervention. We achieved a 94% coverage rate for the first dose. To date, this intervention has prevented further cases of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B disease at College X. CONCLUSIONS: The close, efficient collaboration of public health stakeholders and College X led 94% of the eligible population to be safely vaccinated with at least one dose of bivalent rLP2086. This outbreak marked the first time bivalent rLP2086 was effectively used as an intervention response.