Abstract

Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening disease caused by different types of meningococcal bacteria (serogroups). These serogroups are distinguished by different letters. In the Netherlands, children are vaccinated against meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W and Y. There are also vaccines for another serogroup, B. In 2022, the Health Council of the Netherlands advised against the introduction of serogroup B vaccination in the National Immunisation Programme.

Since 2022, the number of people in the Netherlands who become ill with meningococcal disease as a result of an infection with serogroup B has crept up gradually. In 2024, the number of meningococcal disease serogroup B patients stood at 118, 34 of which were children under the age of five and 30 of which were young adults (aged from 15 to 24). The Health Council will therefore issue a new advisory report on vaccination against meningococcal disease serogroup B for the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. As input for this advisory report, RIVM has collated information about serogroup B vaccination and the incidence of meningococcal serogroup B disease in the Netherlands. This report will also address the costs and effects of vaccination.

There are various strains of meningococcal serogroup B bacteria. Which strains are the most common causes of disease differs from country to country and from year to year. While the vaccines do not protect against all strains, they appear effective in the European countries that use them.

If serogroup B vaccination is to be added to the National Immunisation Programme’s vaccine scheme, additional vaccination moments will be required. There are vaccines that combine protection against serogroup B with protection against serogroups A, C, W and Y, but these are not currently available in Europe.