This NICE Pathway covers diagnosis and management of bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia in children and young people (under 16 years) in primary and secondary care.
Meningococcal disease is the leading infectious cause of death in early childhood. It most commonly presents as bacterial meningitis (15% of cases of N meningitidis) or septicaemia (25% of cases), or as a combination of the two presentations (60% of cases).
The epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in the UK has changed dramatically in the past two decades following the introduction of vaccines to control H influenzae type b, serogroup C meningococcus and pneumococcal disease.
The control of meningococcal disease is therefore a priority for clinical management (as well as public health surveillance and control).
Bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia are managed in different ways, therefore it is important that healthcare professionals are able to recognise them and manage them accordingly.