Guidance

Meningococcal: the green book, chapter 22

Meningococcal immunisation information for public health professionals.

• From: UK Health Security Agency
• Published: 20 March 2013
• Last updated: 30 July 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 30 July 2025

     The previous version of this chapter has been removed following the cessation of the 12-month Hib/MenC vaccine dose from 1 July 2025.

  2. 12 June 2025

     Updated to reflect changes to the childhood immunisation programme from 1 July 2025.

  3. 17 May 2022

     Updated to include additional licenced vaccines (QuadMenfi and Trumenba) and guidance on 4CMenB boosting in individuals at occupational risk.

  4. 20 September 2016

     Corrected table 22.3 on recommendations for the use of quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY vaccines for travel.

  5. 12 August 2016

     Corrected table 22.3 on recommendations for the use of quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY vaccines for travel.

  6. 27 July 2016

     Updated to reflect changes to the meningococcal vaccine schedules, catch ups and supplies, including removal of the infant dose of meningitis group C vaccine from the routine childhood programme.

  7. 22 September 2015

     Added chapter update patch and made minor amends to section on the 'development of conjugate meningococcal vaccines'.

  8. 9 September 2015

     Added PDF version of recent patch.

  9. 7 September 2015

     The Chapter has been updated to provide clarification on the use of prophylactic paracetamol when Bexsero® is administered concomitantly with other vaccines in infants.

  10. 4 September 2015

      The Chapter has been updated to provide clarification on the use of prophylactic paracetamol when Bexsero® is administered concomitantly with other vaccines in infants.

  11. 3 September 2015

      The Chapter has been updated to provide clarification on the use of prophylactic paracetamol when Bexsero® is administered concomitantly with other vaccines in infants.

  12. 2 September 2015

      The Chapter has been updated to provide clarification on the use of prophylactic paracetamol when Bexsero® is administered concomitantly with other vaccines in infants.

  13. 28 July 2015

      Updated to include guidance on new MenB and MenACWY immunisation programmes.

  14. 11 April 2014

      Updated URL links to the green book chapters.

  15. 2 April 2014

      No patch available: rewritten chapter to incorporate latest information on meningococcal disease.

  16. 7 May 2013

      New updated chapter.

  17. 19 April 2013

      Updated Body text to include link to the green book chapter update patches on the National Archives website.

  18. 20 March 2013

      First published.

Documents

Meningococcal: the green book, chapter 22

Ref: UKHSA gateway number 2025125

PDF, 256 KB, 16 pages

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Details

Meningococcal disease occurs as a result of a systemic bacterial infection by Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococci are gram-negative diplococci, divided into antigenically distinct serogroups. They are classified according to characteristics of the polysaccharide capsule into capsular group, and of outer membrane proteins into type and subtype. Further characterisation, undertaken by sequencing several other regions of the chromosomal DNA, defines the sequence type (ST).