Neisseria meningitidis

Neisseria meningitidis is often called the meningococcus. While it is carried harmlessly in the nose and throat by around 10% of adults, it can also cause serious disease including bacterial meningitis and sepsis.

Mechanism of transmission: the disease is transmitted through aerosol droplets (eg. coughing, sneezing) or spit (eg. kissing)

Number of cases worldwide per year: 1.2 million¹

Meningococcal disease

Neisseria meningitidis infections cause invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), a range of severe diseases including meningitis (infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and sepsis (infection of the bloodstream).

IMD can occur in a range of situations from sporadic infections (infrequent isolated cases), to outbreaks where lots of people live or work alongside each other (eg. schools, universities), to epidemics spread over large areas. The largest number of infections occur in the ‘meningitis belt’, an area of sub-Saharan Africa.

The disease is most prevalent among young children, teenagers, and young adults. It has a high fatality rate of up to 40%² and even in those who recover it can result in severe consequences such as neurological issues or amputation of limbs.

Vaccines

There are several vaccines available against Neisseria meningitidis, which work by training the immune system to recognise cell-surface structures of the bacteria. Different licensed vaccines provide protective immunity against different serotypes (variations) of the meningococcus: A, C, W, Y, and B. In the UK, MenB and MenACWY vaccines are offered as part of the UK routine immunisation schedule.

Genomics and Neisseria meningitidis

Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of severe diseases including meningitis and septicaemia. Increasing our understanding of N. meningitidis is essential for tackling these diseases and helping save lives. Genomic data can be used to identify related isolates and confirm outbreaks, monitor trends in case numbers, detect antibiotic resistance, and survey the impact of vaccine programs.

If you are keen to know more about Neisseria meningitidis and IMD, these websites are good places to go for more information: