Health warning as child is hospitalised with MenB

WA Health reported that a child had been diagnosed with meningococcal serogroup B disease and is recovering in hospital.

This is the fourth serogroup B case in the state so far in 2026. Another reported case was serogroup Y.

Meningococcal is caused by a bacterial infection of the blood and/or the membranes that line the spinal cord and brain, but can also occasionally affect other sites such as the throat, lungs or large joints.

There are two types of meningococcal vaccine available; one protects against four meningococcal strains (serogroups A, C, W and Y), while the other protects against meningococcal B.

While the MenACWY vaccine is offered free to all children at 12 months of age and all Year 10 students, the MenB vaccine is only free to Aboriginal children aged up to two years old.

Both vaccines are available for people of all ages with certain medical risk conditions. People who are not eligible can still request the vaccine, but at a financial cost.

That financial cost has been at the centre of scrutiny for a number of years, with many GPs arguing MenB should also be funded for some age groups to prevent life-threatening illness.

Perth GP Andrew Leech raised the issue in a recent column for Medical Forum about a patient's close call with meningococcal B.

He described the $100-200 per dose cost of the meningococcal B vaccine as a barrier. While he said GPs still had a responsibility to raise vaccination, it was on government to ensure preventative health measures were properly funded.

“We have a responsibility to offer the vaccine regardless of this cost and to discuss its importance. It is up to the family whether they choose to pay; in my experience, many will, knowing how effective and important it is,” Dr Leech said.

"It confuses me why the vaccine isn’t on the schedule. The more delays there are in making a decision like this, the more chance there is of further infections in our community. Meningococcal B is now the most common strain circulating, responsible for around 80% of recorded cases in Australia this year."

Last year in WA some 13 cases of meningococcal were recorded in 2025, with 12 of those being meningococcal B.

Symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease may include high fever, chills, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, and severe muscle and joint pains.

Sometimes – but not always – a spotty red-purple rash may develop that looks like small bleeding points under the skin or bruises.

Young children may not complain of symptoms, so fever, pale or blotchy complexion, vomiting, lethargy (inactivity), poor feeding and rash are important signs.

Although invasive meningococcal disease can be treated with antibiotics, it can progress very rapidly. With prompt treatment, most people with the disease recover, however, meningococcal disease can lead to death in 5-10% of cases, and around 15% of survivors may experience long-term complications such as hearing loss, limb amputations or brain injury.