May 15, 2026

expert reaction to meningitis outbreak in Reading

Scientists comment on a meningitis cases confirmed in Reading. 

Dr Eliza Gil, Clinical Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) said:
“So far, the meningococcal meningitis outbreak in Reading looks like a small cluster of cases, sadly including one fatality. Small outbreaks of this scale are unfortunately something we see routinely with meningococcal meningitis and the general public do not need be alarmed at present.

“It is reassuring that UKHSA have confirmed that these cases are of a different strain to that which caused the recent outbreak in Kent, which means that these outbreaks are not linked, and are separate unfortunate chance events.

“As we saw in the recent outbreak in Kent, it can be difficult to predict exactly how infections will behave, so UKHSA and local healthcare providers will be monitoring the situation closely. They have tried and tested measures including preventive antibiotics and vaccines available to limit local spread.

“Bacterial meningitis is in general more serious than viral meningitis, making sufferers more unwell, causing more damage to the brain and is more frequently fatal.

“Meningitis has typically been uncommon in the UK and now that we have vaccines against most of the important meningitis-causing bacteria, we usually see only a small number of cases of bacterial meningitis in the UK per year. Outbreaks are rare and typically occur when a meningitis-causing bacteria is introduced into a community without immunity and where there is lots of close contact.

“This outbreak is most likely to be caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis, also often referred to as meningococcus, which causes meningococcal meningitis. Neisseria meningitidis is known to cause outbreaks of meningitis, including in students, and can cause very aggressive infections.

“Specific types of Neisseria meningitidis cause the majority of cases or meningitis and sepsis and are therefore the types included in the vaccines offered in the UK. Most cases of Neisseria meningitidis meningitis, as well as the other most common types of bacterial meningitis, can therefore be prevented by vaccination.

“Within the species of Neisseria meningitidis there are different ‘types’, each with a unique outer coating. Each type requires its own immune response to protect against invasive infection. The type causing this outbreak has not yet been identified. Work will be underway using both laboratory tests and genome sequencing to identify the type of Neisseria meningitidis causing this outbreak.

“There are two highly effective Neisseria meningitidis vaccines available, one to types A,C, W and Y, routinely offered to students in secondary school, and another to type B, now routinely offered for babies in the UK. Outside of vaccination, another preventive approach is to give people who have been in contact with someone with meningitis antibiotics to kill any potentially meningitis-causing bacteria in their throat. Because close contact is required to acquire the bacteria, antibiotics are usually offered specifically to people identified as being at risk of having acquired the bacteria rather than the wider community.

“Young people should check if they have received the ACWY vaccine – they remain eligible for the vaccine if they have not yet had it up to the age of 25.”

Further information:

What is meningitis?

“Meningitis is an infection of the membranes and fluid that surround the brain. Meningitis is caused by a small number of viruses, bacteria or occasionally fungi. Bacterial meningitis can be associated with bloodstream infection, which is sometimes referred to as septicaemia, or sepsis. It is this bloodstream infection which results in the rash in other parts of the body.”

What are the symptoms of meningitis (for adults and children)?

“It typically causes headache, neck stiffness and fever (high temperature) but can also cause drowsiness, nausea/vomiting and increased sensitivity of the eyes to light. Certain types of meningitis can also cause a rash, which is typically described as non-blanching as the colour doesn’t fade with light pressure, for example when pressed with a glass. If infected, you may experience any combination of these symptoms, and young children may just be non-specifically ill or irritable.“

How does Neisseria meningitidis spread?

“Neisseria meningitidis is most commonly found living in the throat. It is spread between people through contact with secretions from the mouth or airway and it usually requires close or prolonged contact between people for the bacteria to be transmitted. Students and young people are often at an increased risk compared to the wider population as they often have close contact with a larger number of people at university in their studies, accommodation and social activities. In most people who catch it, Neisseria meningitidis bacteria stay living on the surface of the throat and do not go on to cause invasive infection. However, in a small proportion of people, the bacteria go on to cause an invasive infection. This means that the bacteria are no longer contained to the outer surfaces of the throat, but have instead invaded deeper into the body, typically into the blood, and sometimes from there to the brain. “

Are there vaccines in the UK?

“There are two highly effective Neisseria meningitidis vaccines available, one to types A,C, W and Y, and another to type B. ACWY vaccine is routinely offered to students in secondary school, although around 20% of adolescents remain unvaccinated in the UK and therefore at risk. Type B vaccine is now routinely offered for babies in the UK, however, there has not been a catch up for unvaccinated older children, and the vaccine is not given to teenagers. Students currently at university therefore do not have protective immunity to type B. There are also cases of meningitis caused by types of Neisseria meningitidis not included in the vaccine, but these are exceptionally rare in the UK, and we have not typically seen outbreaks in students.”

Prof Andrew Preston, Professor of Microbial Pathogenicity at University of Bath, said:

“This latest outbreak highlights that although it is thankfully rare, meningococcal disease remains a very serious one. This latest outbreak again has emerged in the college age cohort, like the Kent outbreak. All current cases appear contained to a well-defined social contact group which enables rapid contact tracing and the administration of antibiotics and vaccination (if deemed a necessary precaution). At the moment, there is no indication of transmission to the wider community, although understandably this will have caused wide concern in the area.

“Current indications are that these cases are caused by a strain distinct from that behind the Kent outbreak, so does not appear to be a spillover from that transmission cluster.

“In terms of whether this is an outbreak, cases with a clear epidemiological link, as there is in this situation, is by definition an outbreak, it does not depend on number of cases.

“The same measures as used in Kent, and in all other meningococcal disease outbreaks, contact tracing and administration of antibiotics to those deemed to be at risk of exposure, will be used here, and are very effective, so the risk to the wider public in the Reading area is currently regarded as low, although UKHSA of course caution that this is an evolving situation.”

Declared interests

Dr Eliza Gil: “No COIs to declare.”

Prof Andrew Preston: “I have received funding from vaccine companies for research, although not for meningococcal research. I have worked in meningitis research laboratories that have received funding from vaccine companies for research into Neisseria infection and vaccines, although that funding was to the supervisors of those labs, not myself.”