The New Zealand Meningococcal Vaccine Strategy: a tailor-made vaccine to combat a devastating epidemic.

The New Zealand Meningococcal Vaccine Strategy aims to end the devastating 14-year epidemic of B:4:P1.7b,4 group B meningococcal disease in New Zealand through a mass immunisation programme to all under 20 year olds using a tailor-made vaccine (MeNZB). This paper describes the scientific rationale, development, and key components of the New Zealand Meningococcal Vaccine Strategy. A summary of the efficacy and safety data of existing outer membrane vesicle group B meningococcal vaccines is included as these data critically support the Strategy.