A vaccine administered to children to curb many infections can also be helpful in decreasing the risk of a deadly form of meningitis by 30 percent both in children as well as adults.

Prevnar, a vaccine manufactured by Wyeth had impact on reducing cases of meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria strains.

Dr. Lee Harrison of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and his team reviewed cases of pneumococcal meningitis from 1998 through 2005. It was discovered that the disease rates fell 64 percent in children under 2 and 54 percent in older adults after Prevnar was introduced. The vaccine is also known as Prevenar, pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or PCV7.

The vaccine offers protection against seven of the most common strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, known commonly as pneumococcal bacteria. Streptococcus pneumonia is the cause of than 80 percent of pneumococcal disease in children. The germ can cause ear infections, meningitis, pneumonia and blood infections in children.

Wyeth, based in Madison, N. J., has developed an expanded version of the vaccine known as Prevnar-13. It will offer protection against 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. The company has already applied for European regulatory approval of the vaccine. It will apply for approval in the U. S. by the end of March.