Meningitis B vaccine

Protect your child against Meningitis B – one of the most common strains of meningitis

Type of vaccine

Inactivated vaccine

Protects against

Meningitis B

Primary course

2-3 doses

Boosters

Yes

Suitable for ages

From 8 weeks

What is the meningitis B vaccine?

Meningococcal disease can be caused by various types of meningococcal bacterium and can result in serious illnesses such as meningitis and blood poisoning. All age groups can get meningococcal disease but it is most common in infants, children and adolescents.

Meningococcal disease results in death in approximately 10-15% of cases. Among the people who survive a further 10-20% suffer devastating and life-long effects such as brain injury, scarring, hearing loss, or even the partial or full amputation of a limb.

There are at least 13 different types of meningococcus but nearly all disease is caused by one of six groups: A, B, C, W-135, X and Y.

In the UK, group B (MenB) accounts for around 87% of all cases.

How does the meningitis B vaccine work?

We use a vaccine called Bexsero to protect against group B meningococcal disease. It’s an inactivated vaccine, which means that it uses a killed version of the B strain meningococcal bacteria to trigger the body’s immune response without causing illness. Inactivated vaccines usually don’t provide the same level of immunity as a live vaccine, which is why several doses are needed.

Who should have the meningitis B vaccine?

It is recommended that all children are vaccinated against meningitis B.

Meningitis B vaccine FAQs

Real-world data for the Men B (Bexsero) vaccine published by Public Health England in 2016 showed a 75% reduction in the incidence of meningitis B among children who had all three doses of the vaccine. The same year, it was also reported that cases of meningitis B had halved within 10 months of the vaccine being introduced.

Additional analysis of Public Health England data from 2015 to 2018 found that “The estimated vaccine effectiveness against vaccine-preventable meningococcal group B strains among children who received three doses was 71.2%”.

In Chapter 22 of the UK government’s Green Book (which outlines the latest information on vaccines and vaccine procedures), the Bexsero vaccine is said to be effective against 68-88% of meningitis B strains.

The vaccine for meningitis B has some common side effects that are more likely to occur than with other vaccines (including other meningitis vaccines). For the majority of people, these side effects are mild but it’s helpful to be aware of them. They may include:

Very common (these may affect more than 1 in 10 people)

  • Fever (38°C or above)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Tenderness at the injection site (including severe tenderness resulting in crying when the injected limb is moved)
  • Painful joints; in rare cases, a child may be unable or unwilling to walk for a day or two
  • Skin rash (children aged 12 to 23 months) (uncommon after booster)
  • Sleepiness
  • Feeling irritable
  • Unusual crying
  • Vomiting (uncommon after booster)
  • Diarrhoea
  • Headache

Common (these may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

  • Skin rash (infants and children 2 to 10 years of age)

Uncommon (these may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

  • High fever (above 40 °C); rarely the child may get a higher temperature that may provoke a febrile convulsion (fit as a result of a fever). A febrile convulsion is not serious but can be alarming
  • Dry skin
  • Paleness (rare after booster)

Rare (these may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

The vaccine may rarely cause Kawasaki disease (a rare auto-immune disease causing inflammation of the blood vessels) and nephrotic syndrome (a serious kidney disease).

Side effects are more likely to occur when the vaccine is given at the same time as other vaccines. For this reason, we recommend that this vaccine always be given on its own and not in combination with any other vaccine.

Please tell us if your child has a history of allergies or is allergic to any of the ingredients in the meningitis vaccine and we can then advise you appropriately.

The tip cap of the syringe may contain natural latex, so this vaccine may not be suitable if your child has a latex allergy.

We also ask that you let us know if your child is taking any medication or has any conditions that may affect their immune system.

The preferred injection site for infants and younger children is the upper thigh. The vaccine is usually given in the upper arm to older children and adults.

The protection given by the meningitis B vaccine lasts for approximately five years, after which a booster dose may be required to prolong the benefits.

None of the vaccines for meningococcal disease protects against all types of meningitis, so it’s important to remain vigilant.

Under the NHS schedule, the MenB (Bexsero) vaccine is given in three doses: two doses at two and four months and a booster at 12 months of age. Anyone receiving the vaccine over the age of two will require just two doses.

When you come to BabyJabs, we make a schedule to suit your needs and preferences so the Men B vaccines may be given at different times to the NHS.

Yes, a booster injection may be required to lengthen the protection offered by the initial vaccination. This will be discussed with you during the consultation appointment.

Yes, adults can have a vaccination for meningitis. This might be recommended for someone who has a damaged spleen, for example, or if the adult is travelling to or planning to live in a country with high rates of meningitis. A vaccination might also be recommended for university students living in halls of residence or military recruits.

We recommend that the Bexsero vaccine for meningitis B is given on its own to minimise the risk of any side effects.

The MenB vaccine is part of the NHS vaccination schedule and is given to babies at eight weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months.

Ingredients of the meningitis B vaccine

Name: Bexsero (Meningococcal group B vaccine)

Age: Suitable from eight weeks

Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline

Active ingredients: 50μg Neisseria meningitidis group B NHBA fusion protein, 50μg Neisseria meningitidis group B NadA protein, 50μg Neisseria meningitidis group B fHbp fusion protein, 25μg outer membrane vesicles from Neisseria meningitidis group B strain NZ98/254

Other ingredients: Sodium chloride, histidine, sucrose and water for injections

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: 0.5mg*

* Some manufacturers’ leaflets reference the amount of the aluminium compound (e.g. aluminium hydroxide), whereas we have calculated the amount of elemental aluminium within the compound

Contains porcine gelatin?: No

Contains dairy products? No

Licensed for use in the UK

Bexsero patient information leaflet: Click to view

Aftercare

We’ll give you detailed aftercare advice for your child after their vaccination(s), including what to do in the event of any side effects.

As a reminder, side effects are common with this vaccine (please see above) but should self-resolve within a few days.

You can download our Patient Aftercare leaflet here.

If your child is unwell outside of clinic hours, please call 111 for advice or go to A&E if they need urgent medical attention.

Individual advice about the meningitis B vaccination

Need advice about meningitis B vaccination for your child? The BabyJabs team is here to listen and answer your questions to help you decide.