what you need to know about this potentially deadly disease affecting Australian children

Three children in far north Queensland recently became ill with meningococcal diseasea life-threatening infection caused by bacteria Neisseria meningitis.

Meanwhile, an adult and a child with meningococcal infection were admitted to hospital. in Western Australia.

Up to now it was over 80 meningococcal disease reported in Australia in 2024. Although meningococcal disease can occur all year round, in Australia it is most common in overdue winter and early spring.

What is meningococcal disease?

Neisseria meningitis belongs to bacteria that often live completely harmlessly in the back of the throat and can be transferred from one person to another via saliva. Sometimes these bacteria can enter the body via the bloodstream and cause serious illness (called “invasive meningococcal disease”).

Although anyone can get meningococcal disease, certain groups of people are more affected by it. at higher riskThese include infants, juvenile children, adolescents, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, juvenile people living in crowded spaces and people who smoke.

Meningococcal disease most often results in a earnest blood infection (septicemia), but it can also spread to the brain (meningitis).

Symptoms meningococcal disease may include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and joint and muscle pain. If meningitis is present, headaches, stiff neck, and sensitivity to lightweight are also common.

Sometimes meningococcal disease can also cause a characteristic rash that does not disappear after pressure is exerted. It can start as red or purple pinpricks or compact bruises. But not everyone with meningococcal dermatitis will develop a rash. And when it does, it’s often a overdue sign, indicating an advanced stage of the infection.

Babies and toddlers may not have the classic symptoms listed above. Instead, they may have difficulty feeding, irritability, a high-pitched cry, pale or blotchy skin, or fatigue and limpness.

Although meningococcal disease is occasional, it is sudden and unpredictable. It is known for how quickly it can develop into a earnest illness, often in vigorous people. It has been described as a disease that can “good at breakfast – and dead at dinner”.

Meningococcal disease requires urgent treatment, especially antibiotics, to stop the infection from progressing. Even with excellent medical care, one in 20 small children People who become ill can die, and about one-third of children and teenagers who survive the disease will develop constant complications.

Although meningococcal disease can be contagious, less contagious than many other infections (such as influenza or measles). The bacteria can spread through respiratory or throat secretions (saliva or saliva), and person-to-person transmission usually requires prolonged, close contact.

We have effective vaccines

There are different types N. meningitidis bacteria, called serogroups. Serogroups refer to different surface structures of bacteria and are designated by letters of the alphabet. Serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y cause most meningococcal diseases all over the world.

Two main types meningococcal vaccines are available in Australia. One type protects against serogroups A, C, W and Y (ACWY) and the other type protects against serogroup B.

The ACWY vaccine is available free of charge through the Australian National Immunisation Program. since 2018and is given at 12 months of age and at 14–16 years of age.

The vaccine against meningococcal group B is recommended for all children but is only available free of charge as part of the National Immunization Program for some people. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under two years of age and people with some medical conditions.

Queensland recently introduced state-funded program provide free meningococcal B vaccine to all babies and children aged six weeks to two years, and adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

In South Australia there is also a state-funded vaccination program against meningococci group B for infants under the age of one, as well as a school program for 10th grade students.

In other parts of Australia, for children who do not meet the requirements high risk criteriaThe meningococcal B vaccine must be purchased on private prescription. Many parents are not aware of this vaccine, and cost can also be a barrier.

Most babies starting meningococcal group B vaccination before the age of one will need three doses, and every child over the age of one will need two doses for optimal protection.

Why do cases like this still happen?

Australia has achieved good vaccination coverage against serogroups A, C, W and Yand there are currently very few cases of meningococcal disease caused by these serogroups (although a case was recently reported in adults reported in WA had serogroup Y).

However, the number of people vaccinated against meningococcal B is much lower. This is partly because this vaccine is not part of the National Immunization Program (outside of certain high-risk groups). However, even in states with funded programs, there seems to be a lack of awareness.

Despite the introduction of a free meningococcal B vaccination program in Queensland this year, vaccination coverage has been low. There are 40,000 juvenile children under the age of two and 386,000 adolescents aged 15-19 in Queensland who not fully vaccinated yet.

Thus, compared to other serogroups, community-wide immunity to meningococcal B is lower. Meningococcal B is currently responsible for over 80% all cases of meningococcal disease in Australia – including three children recently affected in Queensland and child in WA.

This Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is appealing to families to register their eligible children for meningococcal vaccination through the free state vaccination programs in Queensland and South Australia.

In other states, families can ask their GP about the meningococcal B vaccine, and some hospitals offer a ‘no-consultation’ option Vaccination clinics to support families catch up on missed vaccinations, including the meningococcal B vaccine. Hospital pharmacies often provide this at the lowest cost.