What are the rates of Meningococcal (Meningitis) B disease in Australia?

Meningococcal B Disease Rates in Australia

In Australia, meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) disease has been the predominant cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), accounting for 82% of cases in South Australia compared to the national average of 36% as of 2016. 1

Current Epidemiology

• The incidence of meningococcal B disease in Australia has declined progressively from 1.52 cases per 100,000 population in 2001 to 0.47 per 100,000 in 2015 2
• During 2006-2015, MenB accounted for 81% of IMD cases with a known serogroup in Australia 2
• The highest incidence rates of MenB disease in Australia are found in:
  • Infants under 12 months of age: 11.1 per 100,000 population 2
  • Children aged 1-4 years: 2.82 per 100,000 population 2
  • Adolescents aged 15-19 years: 2.40 per 100,000 population 2
• Among infants under 2 years with MenB disease, 43% were under 7 months and 69% under 12 months of age 2

Population Disparities

• Indigenous Australians have significantly higher rates of MenB disease compared to non-Indigenous Australians during 2006-2015 (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 3.8; 95% CI, 3.3-4.5) 2
• In South Australia specifically, the mean rate of MenB disease was 2.8 per 100,000 population during 2000-2017 1
• Some regions, like South Western Sydney, have historically shown higher incidence than the national rate 3

Recent Vaccination Programs and Impact

• South Australia implemented the first statewide MenB vaccine program for infants, children, and adolescents due to the high burden of MenB disease in that state 1
• The South Australian program provides 4CMenB (Bexsero) to children aged six weeks to 12 months, and young people aged 15 to 17 years 4
• A statewide cluster randomized trial in South Australia showed that vaccinating adolescents with 4CMenB was associated with a 71% reduction (95% CI, 15%-90%) in group B meningococcal disease 5
• From 2017-2019, serogroup B IMD cases in 16-19 year-olds in South Australia reduced significantly below expected numbers following the vaccination program 5

Risk Groups

• Based on disease incidence, priority at-risk groups for MenB vaccination in Australia include:
  • All children between 2 months and 5 years of age 2
  • Indigenous children under 10 years of age 2
  • All adolescents aged 15-19 years 2

Vaccine Availability and Safety

• Bexsero (4CMenB) is licensed in Australia for protection against meningococcal serogroup B disease 6
• Safety surveillance data from South Australia's program (2018-2022) showed a reporting rate of 69.9 adverse events following immunization per 100,000 doses, with most being known, common, non-serious events (85% of reports) 4
• The most frequently reported non-serious adverse events were rash (14%), injection site reaction (14%), nausea/vomiting/diarrhea (11%), and fever (11%) 4

Historical Context

• There has been a sustained increase in the incidence of meningococcal disease throughout Australia since 1987 3
• In some regions like South Western Sydney, serogroup C was historically the predominant organism, which is unusual compared to the national pattern where serogroup B organisms predominated 3
• The introduction of meningococcal C vaccine in 2003 led to significant reductions in MenC disease 2

Given the marked variation in meningococcal disease trends over time, continued surveillance of current epidemiologic data remains essential for guiding vaccination policies in Australia 2.