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Meningococcal B most prevalent strain in Australia

Meningococcal is a serious infection that can cause severe scarring, loss of limbs, brain damage and death. Most cases in Australia are due to the B serotype of the disease, with children less than 2 years of age and those aged 15-24 years at most risk of contracting the disease.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at meningococcal disease and how you can best protect yourself and your family.

What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is the result of a bacterial infection of the blood and/or membranes that line the spinal cord and brain.

The most common strains responsible for cases of infection are A, B, C, W, and Y and vaccinations for all these strains of the disease are available in Australia.

While the disease is relatively uncommon, and most people will recover completely with early antibiotic treatment, it can spread rapidly and become life-threatening for those infected.

Up to 10 per cent of cases result in a long-term disability, such as a loss of a limb or neurological damage and, in very rare cases, if left untreated, meningococcal infection can result in death.

Meningococcal in Western Australia

There have been an increasing number of cases reported in Western Australia this year, particularly for the B strain of the disease.

As at 20 August 2024, there have been seven cases of meningococcal disease reported in WA, comprising six serogroup B and one serogroup W.

Table 1: Reported cases of meningococcal in Australia by Jurisdiction 2010-2024; courtesy of Australian Government National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard (20 August 2024).

Last year, there were 143 reported cases Australia-wide, up from 121 cases in 2022. So far this year, there have been 77 reported cases to date, with Serogroup B remaining the leading strain for meningococcal disease in Australia.

Table 2: Reported cases of meningococcal in Australia by strain 2022; courtesy of GSK

What are the symptoms?

One of the tricky things about meningococcal is that it can appear in different forms, depending on which part of the body the bacteria invade (meningitis– affecting the brain and spinal cord; and septicaemia– affecting the blood; or a combination of both).

People can also experience different symptoms. In general, some of the most common symptoms experienced include:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Neck stiffness
  • Muscle or joint pains
  • Drowsiness or confusion
  • Fatigue
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Convulsions
  • Rapid breathing or panting
  • Cold hands and feet

In the later stages of the disease, a pinprick or purple bruise-like rash can develop. It is important to get this type of rash checked immediately by your doctor or emergency department.

Meningococcal disease is treated with antibiotics and the earlier the treatment commences, the better the chance of making a full recovery.

Who is at risk?

While up to one-fifth of people carry meningococcal bacteria in the back of their nose and throat, only a small number of people will develop an infection from the meningococcal bacteria.

Those at greatest risk of contracting the disease include babies and children up to the age of 5, due to their developing immune systems and tendency to put things in their mouths and share toys, food and drinks.
 
Those aged 15-24 years are also at a high risk, due to their social lifestyle, which generally includes more intimate activities such as kissing and sharing drinks.
 

Others at risk include those with a recent or current viral respiratory infection, smokers, those living in crowded living conditions and those with a weakened immune system.

Preventing meningococcal

Practising good hygiene can also help prevent against the disease; however, vaccination remains the best way to protect against meningococcal.

Unfortunately, there is no single vaccine available to protect against all strains of meningococcal disease; however, there are different vaccines available to help protect against the most common strains – A, B, C, W and Y.

With most cases of meningococcal in Australia resulting from the B serotype of the disease, vaccination against the B strain is only free through the National Immunisation Program for Aboriginal children aged less than two years old and people of all ages with certain health conditions.

Others can get the vaccine through private prescription from their GP.

Despite being free through the National Immunisation Program to only select groups, vaccination against meningococcal B is also strongly recommended for:

  • All infants and young children aged 2 or under
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 2-19 years old
  • Healthy adolescents aged 15-19 years old
  • Adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years old, living in close quarters or who are current smokers
  • People with certain medical conditions
  • Travellers
  • Laboratory workers who frequently handle Neisseria meningitides

The Meningococcal ACWY vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program for:

  • children aged 12 months
  • Aboriginal children (may need additional doses)
  • Year 10 students through school-based vaccination programs. Catch up vaccinations are free for those aged 15-19 for missed vaccinations.
  • People of all ages with asplenia and hyposplenia, complement deficiency and those receiving treatment with eculizumab.  

Book in for your vaccine at IMC

We regularly stock vaccines for all meningococcal strains at Illawarra Medical Centre. To book in for your meningococcal vaccine, make an appointment online or phone us on (08) 9208 6400.

If you have any concerns or questions, book in with your GP to discuss.

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