Mar 21, 2026
3 min read
The annual Immunization Day of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) Vaccination Advisory Committee coincides with a health alert in the UK…
- In the case of the return of infectious cases, the risk due to rare measles increases: "Suddenly at the age of 10 he developed dementia"
There is growing concern in the UK about an "unexpected" meningitis outbreak that has killed two students.
The Spanish Pediatric Association's (CAV-AEP) Vaccination Advisory Committee's annual vaccination day coincided with a health alert in Great Britain over an outbreak of meningitis B, which has so far affected around thirty young people and killed two.It is believed to have originated in a nightclub in Canterbury.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a statement yesterday that the risk of invasive meningococcal disease to the general population in Europe related to this outbreak is "very low" due to the low probability of exposure and infection.Therefore, the coordinator of CAV-AEP, Francisco Álvarez, considers it unnecessary to vaccinate all persons who will soon travel to the UK;if anything, it may indicate "in the young people who will travel to Canterbury are."
However, concern about this disease goes beyond this episode.In the last three years, after the epidemic, cases of meningitis have increased continuously, and serogroup B is the most common in Spain.Currently, one in four children is infected with meningococcus, making this group one of the main reservoirs of germs in society.It is for this reason that CAV-AEP pediatricians propose extending vaccination against serogroup B to young people, taking advantage of this opportunity that at the age of 12, their health is monitored in primary care.As Álvarez recalls, this disease can be “devastating”, because “one in 10 people who suffer from it continue to die and one in 20 to 30 face serious consequences”.
The CAV-AEP also proposes to protect all infants under 12 months of age against ACWY serogroup, and not only against C, as is already done.
Measles Immunization
As for measles, according to the latest epidemiological data, 397 cases were reported in 2025, which is almost double the number in 2024 (227).Although most of the outbreaks reported last year were of imported origin (mainly Morocco and Romania), Álvarez noted that increased vaccination is important to control the spread.
To prevent the spread of the virus, it is necessary to vaccinate 95% of the population with at least two doses, but in Spain the coverage of the second dose is around 93%, due to the differences between the autonomous communities.This may promote greater spread of the pathogen.According to the pediatrician, this is added "to the flow of people from countries with a lower vaccination rate, which promotes the transmission of measles among unvaccinated people."
Doctors do not see the importance of the vaccine group in Spain.They found a fear among people who were exposed to suspicious content on the Internet, but this fear is often reduced by consulting a doctor.
Considering the serious consequences of measles, CAV-AEP recommends a second dose of MMR vaccine every two years, as Andalusia has done.to strengthen prevention of potential outbreaks
Measures against the increase of hepatitis A
Pediatricians also confirm the prevalence of hepatitis A in Spain, which shows a change in epidemiological trends, with a significant increase in cases in recent years.Considering this situation, the Ministry of Health conducted a study in December 2024 to estimate the increase in infection.
According to data from the Epidemiological Surveillance Network Bulletin (RENAVE), from the 52nd week of 2025, there are 1,864 cases of hepatitis A in Spain, compared to 1,035 cases recorded in the same period last year, which represents a doubling of the occurrence in a year.
This repercussion happened in a country traditionally considered less endemic for the disease, where vaccination against the virus was recommended especially for high-risk groups or outbreak cases.In fact, at present, only Catalonia, Ceuta and Melilla systematically include hepatitis vaccination in the children's calendar.
The increase in cases observed in recent years has caused CAV-AEP to reconsider its recommendations.As Valentí Pineda, a child member of this committee stated, “the situation forces us to strengthen disease surveillance and strengthen prevention through vaccination”.In particular, experts recommend giving the hepatitis A vaccine to children 12-15 months old, along with first aid instructions for unvaccinated children and adolescents.
