Meningitis B Battle for Vaccinated Child Highlights 'Very Rare' Cases
Vaccinated Child Battles Meningitis B
Noa-Rose, a four-year-old from Blackwood, Caerphilly, endured a critical fortnight on a high dependency ward in December 2022 after contracting meningococcal type B (MenB) meningitis, despite having received all three doses of the MenB vaccine. This case is described as "very, very rare" by Esme Lee from the charity Meningitis Now, noting a 75% drop in cases among vaccinated infants since 2015.
Noa-Rose's parents, Emma and Scott Alderman, vividly recall the terrifying experience, which saw their daughter's condition deteriorate rapidly. Initially misdiagnosed with scarlet fever or Strep A at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, her severe symptoms, including a high fever, rash, and unresponsiveness, eventually led to a lumbar puncture confirming MenB.
Emma Alderman strongly believes the vaccine, while not a complete preventative, significantly mitigated the severity of the infection. "I can say with confidence that if Noa-Rose didn't have the vaccines we wouldn't have her with us now and we would have lost her," she stated.
Long-Term Impact and Campaign for Wider Vaccination
Now aged seven, Noa-Rose is among the one in five survivors left with life-altering conditions, including epilepsy, fatigue, and developmental delay. Her mother describes the profound shift from being a parent to a carer, navigating constant worries and new diagnoses.
As an ambassador for Meningitis Now, Emma is urging parents to be vigilant for symptoms, which can progress rapidly. She also advocates for the MenB vaccine to be extended to teenagers across the UK, citing recent outbreaks, such as one in Kent. The charity's 'No Plan B for MenB' campaign aims to introduce an adolescent booster by 2030 and improve vaccine affordability.
The MenB vaccine is routinely offered to babies at eight weeks, 12 weeks, and one year old as part of the NHS childhood immunisation programme. The Welsh and UK governments are currently reviewing advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding potential expansions to the vaccination schedule, particularly in light of recent outbreaks affecting older age groups.
