Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A, B, C, W, or Y capsular polysaccharide antigen (None universally established; may be abbreviated in vaccine literature as "MenA", "MenB", "MenC", "MenW", "MenY" or collectively as "MenACWY")

The Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A, B, C, W, and Y capsular polysaccharide antigens are chemically distinct surface-exposed carbohydrate structures that form the basis for serogroup classification of this Gram-negative bacterium. These polysaccharide capsules enable immune evasion and are essential for invasive disease. They represent the principal vaccine antigens in quadrivalent and pentavalent meningococcal vaccines used for the prevention of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis. The unique composition of each serogroup's polysaccharide antigen underlies differences in immunogenicity, epidemiology, and clinical significance. Immunization with conjugated forms induces protective antibodies and interrupts transmission, playing a crucial role in public health control of meningococcal disease

Other names

Meningococcal capsular polysaccharide antigensMenA, MenB, MenC, MenW, MenY antigens (vaccine shorthand)Meningococcal group A/B/C/W/Y antigen

Induction of protective antibodies that recognize and neutralize the bacterial capsule, mediating opsonization, complement-mediated lysis, and phagocytosis