World Meningitis Awareness Day!

Published on Monday, 05 October 2026

Meningitis is a serious illness that causes swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by bacterial, fungal or viral infections. Children under five account for approximately 1 in 3 deaths from meningitis worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for better treatments for our youngest patients.

The University of Oxford is running a randomised controlled clinical trial called BOBBi to investigate whether giving steroids to babies under 3 months old with suspected bacterial meningitis can improve their outcomes.

This #WorldMeningitisDay, we're raising awareness of meningitis and the importance of research to improve treatment and outcomes for babies affected by this serious illness.

To find out more about BOBBi, please visit the BOBBi webpage.