Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine for gonorrhoea - About the MenB vaccine for gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is more commonly diagnosed in GBMSM. This vaccination programme aims to lower the number of gonorrhoea cases and reduce your risk of getting the infection.

You may be eligible for the vaccine if you are GBMSM and have had:  

• a bacterial infection from sex, such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea, in the last year, or
• five or more sexual partners in the last three months.

Other people may be also eligible based on an assessment by a sexual health professional.

You won’t get an invitation for the vaccine, but if you contact or visit a sexual health clinic and meet the criteria listed above, you should be offered the vaccine.

You will be offered the 4CMenB vaccine. This vaccine was first introduced to help protect against meningitis (an infection in the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (blood poisoning).

The bacteria that cause some types of meningitis are similar to the bacteria that cause gonorrhoea. Research shows that the 4CMenB vaccine can also help protect against gonorrhoea. That is why you are being offered this vaccine – to reduce your chance of getting gonorrhoea.

The 4CMenB vaccine is available free from specialist sexual health services for those who are eligible. You can find your nearest sexual health clinic here at the NHS 111 Wales website.

NHS Wales strongly recommends you get the 4CMenB vaccine as soon as it is offered to you.

If you are living with HIV, don’t have a spleen or have a rare condition called complement deficiency, you may have already had two doses of the 4CMenB vaccine. If so, you won’t need any more doses. If you have only had one dose of the 4CMenB vaccine, you can have a second dose at least four weeks after your first dose.

If you have a condition or take medicine that weakens your immune system, the vaccine may not protect you as well. However, it is still important to have the vaccine if it is recommended. Let your doctor or nurse know.

The 4CMenB vaccine can reduce your risk of getting gonorrhoea, but it does not guarantee you will not get it. Even after two doses, you should continue to be aware of the risks and symptoms of gonorrhoea as no vaccine is 100% effective.

Recent studies show that the 4CMenB vaccine may provide 30 to 40% protection against gonorrhoea in people at high risk of infection.

The main benefit of the vaccine is that it can help reduce the number of gonorrhoea infections. While it may not prevent every case, it is still helpful, as having gonorrhoea once does not protect you from getting it again.

The 4CMenB vaccine does not cause or spread gonorrhoea.  

Condoms are one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from gonorrhoea and other STIs, including HIV. It is also important to keep sex toys clean and cover them with a new condom each time they are used. You should get regularly tested for gonorrhoea if you have more than one sexual partner. If you are diagnosed with gonorrhoea, make sure you complete your full treatment as directed by your doctor or nurse.

If you are concerned about your risk of gonorrhoea or want more information, speak to your local sexual health clinic. You can find your nearest sexual health clinic on the NHS 111 Wales website.

Yes. You can still be vaccinated if you have previously had and recovered from gonorrhoea. You can also be vaccinated if you currently have gonorrhoea.

Did you know? Even if you’ve had gonorrhoea before, you can get it again. 

Very few people cannot have the 4CMenB vaccine. You should not have the vaccine if you have had a serious (life-threatening) reaction to:

• a previous dose of the vaccine, or
• any ingredient in the vaccine.

Speak to the person giving you the vaccine if you have had a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine or its ingredients in the past.

If you have a bleeding disorder, or a weakened immune system, speak to your doctor or clinic nurse before you have the vaccine.

If you are unwell, it is better to wait until you have recovered to have a vaccine. A cold or other minor illness is not a reason to delay your vaccine.

If in doubt, discuss this with the person giving you your vaccination.

Tell your doctor or nurse about any medications you are currently taking or have recently taken. You should also tell them about any other vaccines you have recently had. In most cases, you should be fine to have the vaccine.

The vaccine is safe for people living with HIV and those taking PreP. You can also have the vaccine at the same time as other important vaccines, including those against HPV, mpox, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. 

Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild and short term, and not everyone gets them. Common side effects from the vaccine should only last a few days.

Very common side effects after vaccination include:

• pain, redness or swelling where you had the injection
• sore muscles and joints
• feeling generally unwell
• feeling sick, and
• a headache.

If you feel faint after the vaccination, you should wait for 15 minutes before you drive.

If you get any of the side effects listed above, you can rest and take the normal dose of paracetamol (follow the advice in the packaging) to help you feel better. Do not drive or use machines if you are feeling unwell.

Reports of all side effects can be found in the patient information leaflet for the vaccine. For more information on side effects, go to:

• Bexsero

If your symptoms get worse or if you are concerned, contact NHS Wales by calling 111 or ring your GP surgery. Calls to NHS 111 Wales are free from landlines and mobile phones.

You should report suspected side effects of vaccines and medicines online at Yellow Card, by downloading the Yellow Card app, or by calling 0800 731 6789 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Rarely, people can have a severe reaction soon after vaccination, which causes breathing difficulties and may cause them to collapse. This is called an anaphylactic reaction, and it can also happen with other medicines and food. These reactions are extremely rare, affecting less than one in a million people. Staff who give vaccinations are trained to manage these reactions.

People who have an anaphylactic reaction can be successfully treated and usually recover within a few hours.

The vaccine is safe for people living with HIV and those taking PreP.

If you are HIV positive, have any other condition or treatment leading to a weakened immune system, you may have already had two doses of 4CMenB. No further doses are recommended.