Meningitis B: what are the symptoms, how is it spread and is there a vaccine?

Variant identified in Kent can cause long-term complications and prove fatal if not caught early with antibiotics Tell us: how is the meningitis outbreak in Canterbury being handled? Health officials have confirmed that meningitis B is the strain identified in some of the cases in Kent, in an outbreak that has killed two young people and left 15 others seriously ill. Meningitis is an infection of the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by different bacteria and viruses. Meningitis B, known as MenB, is the most common form of invasive meningococcal disease. It is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, also known as the meningococcus. This bacteria usually lives harmlessly in people’s throats, but can cause life-threatening disease if it gets into the blood or spinal fluid. MenB can progress rapidly. Early symptoms are not always present, but can include a sudden high fever, a stiff neck, severe and worsening headache and a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass. They can also include aversion to bright lights, vomiting and diarrhoea, seizures, joint and muscle pain, delirium and extreme sleepiness. MenB can be fatal. The meningococcal bact