Meningitis B Vaccine
The MenB vaccine protects people against infections caused by the meningococcal group B bacteria, which can lead to meningococcal diseases like meningitis and blood poisoning.
What Is The MenB Vaccine?
Meningococcal group B bacteria are responsible for the vast majority of meningococcal infections in young children, which is why it’s advisable to ensure that your baby has the MenB vaccine to help protect them against infection and disease.
Meningococcal infections can be very serious, leading to complications like sepsis and meningitis. These, in turn, can lead to amputation, brain damage, hearing loss and can even be fatal if they aren’t treated in time.
The MenB vaccine is also known as the Bexsero vaccine and the UK was one of the first countries in the world to introduce it as part of its routine vaccination programme.
It is offered to babies at eight weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months old, alongside their other routine vaccinations. It is administered as a single injection into the thigh.
As with any vaccination, the MenB vaccine can cause side-effects but these are typically mild and do not last long. It is possible that babies may develop a high temperature within 24 hours of vaccination, but this risk can be reduced by giving your baby liquid paracetamol after vaccination.
Other common side-effects your baby may experience include:
- Crying and irritability
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Pain, swelling and redness at the injection site
What Is Meningitis B?
Meningitis B is an uncommon but serious infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis group B, which causes infections of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
The bacteria can cause life-threatening infections such as sepsis and meningitis. Although they can affect people of any age, these diseases are most common in babies and young children.
The majority of children will recover from infection, but around one in 20 will die. Many of those who do survive are often left with a disability of some kind, including hearing loss, epilepsy and brain damage. Amputation is also a possible necessity.
How To Prevent Meningitis B Infections
The best way to go about preventing meningitis B infections and diseases is to have the MenB vaccine. There are hundreds of different strains of meningococcal group B bacteria to be found around the world, but research has found that this vaccine protects against almost nine in every ten types circulating in the UK.
At Enimed Group, our pharmacies provide a range of different vaccinations, including the MenB vaccine.
Our specialist pharmacists can administer the appropriate treatments to both children (from birth) and adults alike, as well as providing a walk-in clinic service and up-to-date health advice should you need it.