BACTERIAL meningitis is a very serious illness and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly and yet a large number of the highest risk individuals are failing to take advantage of the free vaccinations available which could protect them.

The latest figures from Public Health England (PHE) show only a third of 18-year-olds received the MenACWY jabs last year before moving into university shared accommodation. This meant about 400,000 school leavers were not immunised.

Now the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for an urgent targeted campaign encouraging school leavers to receive the vaccine which protects against four strains of the disease.

It says there has been a rapid increase in the W strain of meningococcal disease, which is harder to diagnose and is therefore more likely to lead to life-changing disabilities or even death, over the past few years.

RCN is urging the Government and NHS to use social media to raise awareness among young people about the risks of contracting the illness and availability of vaccinations.

Ideally, vaccinations should be administered before the end of August to give the body time to build up an immunity before the start of term mid-September.

Helen Donovan, RCN Professional Lead for Public Health and an expert in vaccination, said: “A targeted social media campaign could save lives. The low take-up is a serious concern as people starting university are particularly at risk.

“Letters are not enough – it’s vital we communicate with young people using platforms they are likely to use.”

Dr Musarrat Afza, PHE West Midlands Health Protection consultant, said: “We also want to remind school leavers heading off to college and university after the summer to protect themselves against potentially life threatening meningitis and septicaemia, by getting the MenACWY vaccination before they start their courses.

Young people who have not yet had the MenACWY vaccine remain eligible up to their 25th birthday and should contact their GP surgery to get immunised.

According to the NHS:

• Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

• It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.

• Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly. It can cause life-threatening blood poisoning (septicaemia) and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.

• Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above; being sick; a headache; a blotchy rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it (this won't always develop); a stiff neck; a dislike of bright lights; drowsiness or unresponsiveness; seizures (fits).

• These symptoms can appear in any order and some may not appear.

More information can be found at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Meningitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx and www.meningitis.org/symptoms

THE patient of a Worcestershire doctor helped raise £5,000 for charity in memory of his late GP who died suddenly after contracting a new and virulent strain of meningitis - meningococcal W.

Paul Watson from Chaddesley Corbett and his wife Annie held a fundraising event at their home, in collaboration with Pedmore Sporting Club in Stourbridge, for 150 guests in aid of the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF). Paul had been a patient of local GP John Spalding for 32 years prior to his death in 2014.

Paul said: “I was a patient of John’s for 32 years. He was a wonderful GP and it came as a huge shock to everyone when he passed away so suddenly. Everyone in the community was saddened by it and I think that’s why people have been so generous and donated so much.”

Dr Spalding woke up in the early hours of December 23 2014 with what he thought was a cold and 10 hours later he had died. The 55-year-old had no idea his symptoms were in fact an aggressive strain of meningococcal meningitis (menW) and septicaemia.

John’s wife Di Spalding, a physiotherapist and now an ambassador for MRF, helps the charity to raise awareness of getting vaccinated against the disease.

She says the only protection is vaccination as, if it happened to her again, she would never recognise it because symptoms of meningitis can be similar to flu but become rapidly worse.

"John came through the door after work in his usual way on December 22 that year. We had a normal evening and wrapped our boys' presents up for Christmas then went to bed at about 11pm. At midnight he went downstairs and had a glass of wine and a sandwich - this wasn't unusual for him,” she said.

He had a disturbed night, but that wasn’t unusual, and had paracetamol as the flu-like symptoms developed. After resting in bed, John asked his wife to call an ambulance at about midday.

“Then he started talking rubbish to me and fell back. The septicaemia had spread to his brain. We called an ambulance but by this point his colour had deteriorated.

“The operator said: ‘get him on the floor and start resuscitation’. Tim and I carried on giving resuscitation, but we knew after three minutes that he had died.

"The ambulance arrived within 10 minutes and they carried on trying to revive him, but he was dead."

Di said: "The major struggle I had was the suddenness and the rapidity of his death. Alive one minute, dead the next. There was no time to say goodbye, no time for adjustment.

"But the other thing for me is if this happened again I would never recognise it. I can score 10 out of 10 on all the tests for spotting symptoms, but John did not present with all the typical symptoms. He was a doctor - if it can happen to him it can happen to anyone."

Teenagers are at the highest risk of contracting the illness and Di advises teenagers and first year university students to get their free vaccination.

"The only way to stop it is by preventing it through vaccination. It's so rapid and so aggressive that you can't stop it once you've got it.”