Health officials in the UK are on high alert after a meningitis outbreak in southeast England left two students dead and dozens infected – but experts in Spain are urging calm.
Six new cases were confirmed this week, bringing the total to more than 20 since mid-March.
The outbreak has been linked to a nightclub in Canterbury popular with university students, with most of those being young adults.
Despite the worrying headlines, Spanish infectious disease specialists say there is no immediate risk of a similar outbreak in Spain.
While two recent cases in Andalucia and Extremadura have sparked concern, they are isolated.
Dr Diego García, spokesperson for Spain’s Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, insists the situation remains ‘controlled and localised’.
According to him, cases like these are typically contained within very specific social circles, especially among young people in close-contact environments such as clubs, shared housing or large gatherings.
Meningococcal disease, caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, is a serious infection that can lead to meningitis – an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord – or even sepsis.
While it can be deadly in around 10% of cases, experts stress that it is not easily spread without close and prolonged contact, such as kissing, coughing or living in the same household.
Authorities in the UK have already moved quickly, rolling out antibiotics for close contacts and targeted vaccination campaigns to contain the spread.
In Spain, however, doctors say the risk of the outbreak spreading is extremely low.
‘These situations tend to stay where they start,’ García explains, adding that monitoring and prevention efforts are focused on those directly exposed.
Vaccination also plays a key role in keeping the disease at bay. Spain introduced the meningococcal B vaccine more recently than the UK, with a rollout between 2023 and 2024, meaning younger children are now protected.
However, some young adults may not have received it – a factor that experts say could explain why outbreaks often affect this age group.
Even so, both European and Spanish health authorities agree that there is no cause for alarm.
While meningitis remains a serious illness, this outbreak is contained, understood, and being actively managed, with no signs it poses a wider threat beyond the affected area.
In Spain, the vaccine against meningococcal group B involves two doses in early childhood, as the infection most commonly affects children under the age of one, with a second peak occurring during adolescence and in young adults.
Dr Garcia said protection is strongest in early childhood but appears to weaken over time.
‘We have good coverage at a young age, but this immunity is not as strong by adolescence. That’s why a second phase of vaccination for young adults is now being considered,’ he said.
The Spanish Association of Paediatrics recommends routine vaccination against meningococcal B from two months of age, using a 2+1 schedule for all infants.
During adolescence, a booster dose of the 4CMenB vaccine (Bexsero) is advised for those who were vaccinated as children. For teenagers who were not previously immunised, a dose is recommended at the age of 12 using either of the available vaccines – Bexsero or MenB-fHbp (Trumenba).
Over the past four decades, the development and rollout of vaccines have significantly reduced the impact of meningitis across Western Europe.
In Spain, the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine was added to the immunisation programme in the 1980s. Following a major epidemic between 1999 and 2000, the meningococcal group C vaccine was also introduced into the national schedule in 2000.
