NHS advisers reject meningitis B vaccine
The government body that advises the NHS on vaccine policy, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), has decided that the new meningitis B vaccine (Bexsero) will not be added to the routine childhood vaccination schedule.
In a position statement the JCVI says "on the basis of the available evidence, routine infant or toddler immunisation using Bexsero is highly unlikely to be cost effective at any vaccine price".
What is meningitis B?
Meningitis B is a highly aggressive strain of bacterial meningitis that infects the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is very serious and should be treated as a medical emergency. If the infection is left untreated, it can cause severe brain damage and septicaemia (blood poisoning). In some cases bacterial meningitis can be fatal.
How common is meningitis B?
The charity Meningitis UK, estimates that there are 1,870 cases of meningitis B each year in the UK. Meningitis B is most common in children under five years old, and in particular in babies under the age of one.
Initial signs and symptoms of meningitis B in babies include:
a high fever with cold hands and feet
they may feel agitated but not want to be touched
they may cry continuously
some children are very sleepy and it may be difficult to wake them up
they may appear confused and unresponsive
they may develop a blotchy red rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it
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Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Medical practice QA articles Source Type: news
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