1887
  1. Home
  2. Eurosurveillance
  3. Volume 31, Issue 15, 16/Apr/2026
  4. Article
Rapid communication Open Access
Like 0
Download

Abstract

An unusually large outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease affecting young adults occurred in South East England between 13 and 18 March 2026, with 21 confirmed cases including two fatalities. Thirteen cases were university students and 19 had attended the same nightclub over a 3-day period. The outbreak strain was a distinct genome within the previously seen type B: P1.12–1,16–183: F1–5: ST-485 (cc41/44). Over 13,000 chemoprophylaxis doses and 11,000 meningococcal B vaccinations were provided to possible contacts.

© Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288
2026-04-16
2026-05-10
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288
Loading
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/eurosurveillance/31/15/eurosurv-31-15-2.html?itemId=/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Parikh SR, Campbell H, Gray SJ, Beebeejaun K, Ribeiro S, Borrow R, et al. Epidemiology, clinical presentation, risk factors, intensive care admission and outcomes of invasive meningococcal disease in England, 2010-2015. Vaccine. 2018;36(26):3876-81.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.038  PMID: 29699791 
  2. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Guidance for public health management of meningococcal disease in the UK. London: UKHSA; 2025. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c25a5bbb0dfe55b83e4c2a/UKHSA-meningo-disease-guidelines-dec2025.pdf
  3. Parfitt KM, Jolley KA, Unitt A, Bray JE, Colles FM, Harrison OB, et al. A Life Identification Number Barcoding (LIN Code) System for Neisseria meningitidis: high resolution multi-level typing of meningococci. bioRxiv. 2026:2026.03.03.708563.
  4. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Invasive Meningococcal Disease outbreak 2026: technical briefing 1. London: UKHSA. [Accessed: 24 Mar 2026]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/invasive-meningococcal-disease-outbreak-2026-technical-briefings/invasive-meningococcal-disease-outbreak-2026-technical-briefing-1
  5. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Cases of invasive meningococcal disease notified in Kent. London: UKHSA. [Accessed: 15 Mar 2026]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cases-of-invasive-meningococcal-disease-confirmed-in-kent
  6. Soeters HM, McNamara LA, Blain AE, Whaley M, MacNeil JR, Hariri S, et al. , Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease University Outbreak Group. University-based outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B, United States, 2013-2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019;25(3):434-40.  https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2503.181574  PMID: 30789140 
  7. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Invasive meningococcal disease in England: annual laboratory-confirmed reports for epidemiological year 2024 to 2025. London: UKHSA; 2025. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-laboratory-confirmed-cases-in-england-2024-to-2025/invasive-meningococcal-disease-in-england-annual-laboratory-confirmed-reports-for-epidemiological-year-2024-to-2025
  8. Mandal S, Campbell H, Ribeiro S, Gray S, Carr T, White J, et al. Risk of invasive meningococcal disease in university students in England and optimal strategies for protection using MenACWY vaccine. Vaccine. 2017;35(43):5814-8.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.09.024  PMID: 28928076 
  9. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Meningococcal B vaccination programme for infants: information for healthcare practitioners. London: UKHSA; 2025. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-b-vaccine-information-for-healthcare-professionals/meningococcal-b-vaccination-programme-for-infants-information-for-healthcare-practitioners
  10. Loud E, Clark SA, Edwards DS, Knapper E, Emmett L, Ladhani S, et al. Serogroup B invasive meningococcal disease in older adults identified by genomic surveillance, England, 2022-2023. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024;30(5):1009-12.  https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3005.231714  PMID: 38666632 
  11. Clark SA, Lucidarme J, Lekshmi A, Walsh L, Willerton L, Walker A, et al. The expansion of a group B invasive meningococcal ST-485 (ST-41/44 clonal complex) strain in England: 2010-2022. 16th EMGM Congress, European Meningococcal and Haemophilus Disease Society; 2023 2023 May 29–June 1; Dubrovnik, Croatia. Croatia: The European Meningococcal and Haemophilus Disease Society; 2023.
Large outbreak of group B invasive meningococcal disease in young adults in South East England, March 2026
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Jessica+I%E2%80%99Anson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">I’Anson Jessica</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Charlotte+Anderson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Anderson Charlotte</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Shona+Arora&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Arora Shona</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ray+Borrow&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Borrow Ray</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Neil+Bray&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bray Neil</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Helen+Campbell&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Campbell Helen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Colin+NJ+Campbell&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Campbell Colin NJ</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Meera+Chand&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Chand Meera</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Stephen+A+Clark&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Clark Stephen A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Paul+Crook&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Crook Paul</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Obaghe+Edeghere&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Edeghere Obaghe</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Stephen+Glass&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Glass Stephen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Anjan+Ghosh&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ghosh Anjan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Natalie+Groves&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Groves Natalie</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Florence+Halford&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Halford Florence</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kirsty+Hewitt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hewitt Kirsty</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Susan+Hopkins&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hopkins Susan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Rachael+Hornigold&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hornigold Rachael</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Reece+Jarratt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Jarratt Reece</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Merav+Kliner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kliner Merav</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nefeli+Kouppa&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kouppa Nefeli</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Shamez+N+Ladhani&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ladhani Shamez N</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jay+Lucidarme&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lucidarme Jay</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Shobha+Luxmi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Luxmi Shobha</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Martin+CJ+Maiden&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Maiden Martin CJ</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Eve+Matthews&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Matthews Eve</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Rachel+Mearkle&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mearkle Rachel</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Charlotte+Mirrielees&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mirrielees Charlotte</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jaime+Morgan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Morgan Jaime</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Samuel+Moses&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Moses Samuel</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Rich+Myers&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Myers Rich</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Grace+Oswald&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Oswald Grace</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Steven+Riley&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Riley Steven</a>, <a href="/search?value1=David+J+Roberts&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Roberts David J</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Charlene+MC+Rodrigues&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rodrigues Charlene MC</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Clare+Sawyer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sawyer Clare</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Matthew+Strutt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Strutt Matthew</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ed+Waller&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Waller Ed</a>, <a href="/search?value1=William+Welfare&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Welfare William</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Trish+Mannes&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mannes Trish</a>, <a href="/search?value1=on+behalf+of+the+Incident+Management+Team&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">on behalf of the Incident Management Team</a></span>. Large outbreak of group B invasive meningococcal disease in young adults in South East England, March 2026. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2026;31(15):pii=2600288. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 01 Apr 2026;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 15 Apr 2026 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.15.2600288
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Supplementary data

Submit comment
Close
Comment moderation successfully completed
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error