HWN Suggests

MenB or not MenB - that is the question

Meningococcus is a normal commensal bacteria in the mouth and throat, carried by around 10% - 35% of people, with the highest rates in older teenagers/young adults. This makes them the main reservoir for Meningococcal transmission. The MenACWY vaccine is extremely effective, not just at preventing severe illness, but also preventing carriage. This means that vaccinating teenagers protects the entire population, as it halts the main route of transmission of these serogroups. Whilst the MenACWY vaccine effectively targets the polysaccharide capsule surrounding the bacteria, we cannot do this for MenB. Its capsular polysaccharide too closely resembles human neural tissue, risks causing the body…

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 Facts about meningitis B

An uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Meningococcal group B disease (also known as meningitis B) is an uncommon but serious disease that is caused by a bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It can also cause a severe infection of the blood called meningococcal septicemia. Meningitis B can strike otherwise healthy people without warning and can progress quickly and be potentially fatal, sometimes within 24 hours. Up to 1 in 5 survivors will have long-term consequences, including brain damage, hearing loss and loss of limbs.

 What you need to know about meningitis B now

Speed is of the essence—and anyone who develops any of these symptoms should immediately go to the emergency department or call 999. Chris Eades, consultant in infectious diseases at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, says, “What makes this infection so dangerous is how easily it can be missed early on. Initial symptoms may be non-specific and may resemble flu, a viral illness, dehydration, or a hangover, particularly in teenagers and young adults.”

Articles of Interest

Global epidemiology of serogroup B meningococcal disease and opportunities for prevention with novel recombinant protein vaccines

Currently, serogroup B is the main cause of MD in Europe and North America and one of the most prevalent serogroups in Latin America. Mass vaccination strategies using polysaccharide vaccines have been deployed since the 1970s and the use of conjugate vaccines has controlled endemic and epidemic disease caused by serogroups A, C, W and Y and more recently serogroup B using geographically-specific outer membrane vesicle based vaccines.

The Kent meningitis outbreak: what is happening and why

Causes of meningitis, what the public health response has been, and how the situation differs from Covid

For Meningitis B Vaccines, Climbing Revenue, and Plenty of Skepticism

Small college outbreaks four years ago of meningitis B — an extremely rare variation of the dangerous infection — have set off a lucrative new business: persuading parents that pricey vaccines are a loving investment for their college-bound children.

Rapid reaction: What is meningitis B?

“Currently students aren’t offered MenB vaccination as part of a routine schedule because their risk has typically been low in comparison to young children and babies and also because the protection the vaccine offers is imperfect and is thought to only last a few years. However, this is something that affected patients and their families, alongside charities and bodies such as the National Union of Students, have openly campaigned for. In addition some individuals are already obtaining the vaccine privately. “The tricky thing with vaccines is that we learn a lot about the long term protection they offer by using them in the population. The MenB vaccine is relatively new, and has mostly been used in babies and very vulnerable individuals, so we don’t have as much information about how useful it is in young adults.

What is meningitis B – and why don’t older children get the vaccine?

MenB most commonly affects children under the age of one, causing symptoms including fever, poor feeding, vomiting and lethargy. It can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can lead to the telltale purple rash. In children over the age of four the disease is rare, but there’s a second peak of the disease in adolescents (although it is not as common then as it is in infants). Babies are at high risk because they do not have immune protection from antibodies – these are passed from mothers to babies which protect them for the first few months of life, but after that they are susceptible. They gradually build up immunity as they are exposed to similar bacteria in the environment. Teenagers are more likely to carry the bacteria in their throats than other age groups, which is why there is this second, smaller, peak of disease in that age group.

Resources

American Society for Meningitis Prevention

The American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP) works to empower all people to take action to prevent meningococcal meningitis.

Kimberly Coffey Foundation

The Kimberly Coffey Foundation provides education to the public and health care professionals about meningococcal disease and advocates for meningococcal vaccination. Our goal is that no other family will endure the loss of a child or have a loved one experience the devastating effects of meningococcal disease. Zero lives lost or affected by this disease is the number we are striving for.

The Emily Stillman Foundation

When the Foundation was originally founded, it had a twofold Mission, which included the both organ/tissue donation as well as vaccine advocacy. In 2016 a third Mission was adopted to enable The Foundation to advocate globally for all health and wellness issues.