The importance of surveillance: Group W meningococcal disease outbreak response and control in England

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Recently, use of the quadrivalent MenACWY conjugate vaccines has increased with the emergence of a hypervirulent MenW: cc11 strain in certain parts of the world, especially South America. In England, MenW: cc11 IMD cases increased rapidly after 2009 and was responsible for 24% of all IMD cases in 2014/15 compared to <5% previously, leading to the emergency introduction of a national teenage MenACWY conjugate vaccine programme in August 2015. Unusually, MenW: cc11 cases have been described presenting with severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhoea, followed by rapid clinical deterioration and death.