What are the symptoms of meningitis and is there a vaccine?

Anyone unwell with symptoms should urgently seek medical help at the closest A&E or by dialling 999 (file photo)

Meningitis B is the strain behind an outbreak of cases in Kent in which two people have died, the government's health agency has confirmed.

An 18-year-old school pupil in Faversham, named as Juliette, and a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent were confirmed to have died from the infection.

There have been 15 cases in the area, according to the the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and four of these have been confirmed in a laboratory to be meningitis B infections.

The agency is advising anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury on 5, 6 or 7 March to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a "precautionary measure".

More than 30,000 students, staff and families in the Canterbury area are being contacted by the UKHSA.

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What are meningitis and 'invasive' meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

It can affect anyone but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. It can be very serious if not treated quickly.

The cause of the infection - either certain bacteria or viruses - can be determined by tests.

Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. It can lead to blood poisoning or sepsis, and can affect the brain.

This acute, severe infection is known as invasive meningitis. It means the infection has invaded into the blood stream or brain linings.

Both people who have died in the invasive meningitis outbreak in Kent are believed to be aged between 18 and 21.

Meningitis B (MenB) is the strain behind most cases of meningococcal disease in the UK.

In the most recent full year, 2024-2025, there were 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease, according to official data.

Is there a meningitis vaccine?

Two vaccines protect against the main causes of meningitis and septicaemia.

The MenACWY vaccine offers protection against four types of bacteria that can cause meningitis - meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y - and is offered to teenagers aged 14 years old.

The MenB vaccine helps protect against meningococcal group B bacteria and is recommended for babies aged eight weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year.

Meningitis can sometimes occur as a complication of some other infections, meaning several other vaccinations can also help protect people.

A six-in-one vaccine given to young children - also known as the DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep B vaccine - offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

A pneumococcal vaccine offers babies protection against serious infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including meningitis.

The MMRV vaccine - which replaced the MMR vaccine in January 2026 - offers infants protection against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.

Generally, it takes a couple of weeks to get the fullest protection from a vaccine and some require booster doses.

Why aren't teenagers vaccinated against MenB?

The MenB vaccine was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.

That means current teenagers will not have been able to have it.

Young babies are vaccinated because they are more likely to get invasive infections more often than other age groups, and their bodies are less likely to be able to fight them off.

However, research suggests the MenB vaccine is not great at preventing transmission of the infection from one person to another, doesn't target all the different B bacteria strains and doesn't provide protection for particularly long.

UK vaccine experts have therefore concluded that it isn't cost effective to offer the MenB vaccine to adolescents, and the NHS does not currently offer a catch-up programme.

Some parents have paid to vaccinate their teens privately. High street pharmacies offer a full course of two doses for around £220.

The vaccine does not contain any live bacteria and cannot cause meningococcal disease.

Given the severity of the situation in Kent, a small targeted vaccination programme will begin starting with students resident at Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence at the University of Kent in the coming days.