Italian pediatricians warn 1.8 million children lack meningococcal B protection

The Italian Society of Pediatrics (Sip) has reported that approximately 1.78 million children and adolescents in Italy are either unvaccinated or have incomplete vaccination coverage against meningococcal B. This finding resulted from an analysis cross-referencing Istat birth cohort data from 2014 to 2022 with Ministry of Health vaccination records for 24-month-olds.

Marking World Meningitis Day on October 5, pediatricians are calling for urgent action to complete missing doses and address regional disparities in vaccination rates. Sip President Rino Agostiani emphasized the importance of verifying vaccination status, noting that meningococcal meningitis can progress rapidly, potentially leading to death within 24 to 48 hours.

Meningococcal meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacterium. The disease can be fatal in 5-10% of cases and may cause permanent neurological deficits, hearing loss, or blindness in 10-20% of survivors.