Could vaccinating at risk populations with Meningococcal B vaccine reduce incidence and antimicrobial resistance in gonococcal infections in the UK?

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens public health and individual patient care. Gonococcal (GC) infection incidence has been increasing year on year for the last decade in the UK. AMR in GC infection is relatively low in the UK, but it has been increasing too.

We propose to develop, simulate and parameterise a model for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis circulation. Control of gonorrhoea is likely to become increasingly difficult due to widespread antibiotic resistance. While vaccines are routinely used for N. meningitidis, no vaccine is available for N. gonorrhoeae.

Recent studies where meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine is given to adolescents reported a reduction in incidence rates of GC in those vaccinated, as the vaccine potentially offers some cross protection.

Counterfactual scenarios can be investigated with a model (with potential uncertainty in outputs) to consider appropriate health economic evaluation.

Goals: - Develop a transmission model of GC and MenB infection for the UK - Investigate the cost-effectiveness of MenB vaccine in infants, adolescents and targeted at-risk populations in reducing MenB and GC infection incidence and AMR. - Investigate the potential impact in areas of low, medium and high incidence of GC infection and low and high level AMR in GC.