Vaccinations against meningococcal B do not need to be included in the National Vaccination Programme for now, according to advice from the Health Council to Minister Sophie Hermans of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The council says the benefits of the vaccine currently do not outweigh the disadvantages.
The Health Council notes that the number of meningococcal B cases is relatively low. It also remains unclear how many infections vaccination could prevent. In addition, the vaccine can often cause fever. In very young children, this may sometimes lead to hospital admission. According to the RIVM, the disease occurs most often in children under five years of age.
The council has issued similar advice before. In both 2018 and 2022, it also advised against including the vaccine in the national programme. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport had asked the council to review its recommendation, taking into account the latest knowledge on disease spread and available vaccines.
Bacteria
Meningococcal B disease is caused by a bacterium known as the meningococcus, according to the RIVM. The infection can lead to blood poisoning or meningitis.
In March, an outbreak of meningococcal B was reported in the United Kingdom. At least 20 people were diagnosed, and two died. The patients had visited a nightlife venue in Canterbury earlier that month.
121 infections
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, clusters of infection are often linked to places where many people gather. Infected individuals can pass the disease on to others, although it spreads less quickly than respiratory infections such as coronavirus.
In 2024, 121 people in the Netherlands were diagnosed with meningococcal B infection, according to the RIVM.
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