Meningococcal B
Protect against Meningococcal B — fast, serious, but preventable with vaccination.
Help us understand parent awareness and barriers to MenB vaccination. Take our survey below.
Key Summary
- What it is: Meningococcal B is a strain of meningococcal disease that can cause brain damage, limb loss, severe scarring, or death if untreated.
- Who is at risk: Children aged <2 years, adolescents aged 15–19 years, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people with certain medical conditions.
- Symptoms: Can develop rapidly and include fever, headache, stiff neck, rash, nausea/vomiting, sensitivity to light, cold hands/feet, and confusion.
- Spread: Passed from person to person through close or prolonged contact with nose and throat secretions (e.g., coughing, kissing). Teens have the highest carriage rates.
- Vaccination:
- Free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants (2, 4, 12 months) and people with certain medical conditions.
- Free under state-funded programs in SA, QLD, and from 2025, NT (infants, children, and adolescents).
- Recommended for all infants, children and adults who want to reduce their risk on Meningococcal B.
- Why it matters: People with meningococcal B can become seriously unwell within hours; vaccination is the best protection.
Meningococcal B
Meningococcal B, a strain of meningococcal, can be life-threatening if left untreated. Vaccination, available in Australia, is your best protection against Meningococcal B.
Key Facts:
- Meningococcal B is one of the strains of meningococcal
- Meningococcal is a serious infectious disease that can cause severe scarring, loss of limbs, brain damage and death.
- Those most at risk of Meningococcal B are children aged <2 years, adolescents aged 15–19 years, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people with certain medical conditions.
- Vaccination is your best protection against the Meningococcal B strain and is available in Australia.
Meningococcal B Vaccination
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends vaccines in Australia.
Vaccines are available in Australia to reduce the risk of Meningococcal B.
Under the Federal government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) the Meningococcal B vaccine is free for:
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children 12 months and under
- people with specified medical conditions
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends Meningococcal B vaccination for:
- Any person from 6 weeks of age who wants to reduce their risk of meningococcal disease
- Infants and children aged <2 years
- Healthy adolescents aged 15–19 years are recommended to receive 2 doses of MenB vaccine
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 months to 19 years are recommended to receive a course of MenB vaccine.
- People with medical conditions that increase their risk of invasive meningococcal disease
- Laboratory workers who are at occupational risk of exposure to Neisseria meningitidis
- Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who live in ‘close quarters’ include new military recruits and students living in residential accommodation.
- Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who are current smokers
Meningococcal B Vaccine Programs
| State/Territory | Free on State/Territory Program | Free on the NIP |
| ACT | None | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at the following ages: 2 months, 4 months, and 12 months. Catch-up vaccination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under 2 years old People with asplenia, hyposplenia, complement deficiency and those undergoing treatmentwith eculizumab |
| NSW | None | |
| SA | All infants and children between the age of 6 weeks and two years Included in Year 10 school immunisation program | |
| WA | None | |
| VIC | None | |
| TAS | None | |
| QLD | All infants and children under the age of two All adolescents aged 15 to 19 years A part of the Year 10 school immunisation program | |
| NT | Free for infants under the age of 2, and adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. It will be part of the: – childhood immunisation schedule for infants 6 weeks to 12 months – school-based vaccination program for Year 9 students – catch up vaccination program for children under 2 years and adolescents aged 15 years to 19 years. |
Meningococcal B Symptoms
Symptoms may appear 1–10 days after being infected.
People with meningococcal disease can become extremely unwell quickly.
Symptoms can include:
- Confusion
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Neck Stiffness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Muscle Aches
- Rash of red-purple pin pricks or bruises
- Cold hands and feet
- Joint Pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
How it spreads
Meningococcal bacteria are only found in humans and are not easily spread as the bacteria do not survive well outside the human body1.
Meningococcal disease is transmitted by close, prolonged household and intimate contact. The spread of the disease is through the infected secretions from the back of the nose and throat.
About 1 in 10 people can have meningococcal bacteria in their throat or nose2. These very rarely cause illness but can be transmitted to others who are more susceptible and cause illness in them.
Teenagers have the highest carriage rates, peaking in 19-year-olds, and so play an important role in transmission3.
Parent Survey: Meningococcal B (MenB) Vaccination
Help us understand parent awareness and barriers to Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. Responses are anonymous and will be used to inform education and advocacy. Please don’t include personal medical information.
References
- Christensen H. et al. 2010. Meningococcal carriage by age: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infectious Diseases Dec 2010: 853-61.
- Better Health Channel. Meningococcal disease [Internet]. Melbourne: Victorian Government; [cited 2025 Feb 13]. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/meningococcal-disease
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Meningococcal Disease Causes and Transmission (page last updated 8 February 2024) Accessed 19 May 2024.