The United Kingdom is the first country to introduce Bexsero(®) (GSK 
Biologicals), a multicomponent, protein-based vaccine against meningococcal 
group B (MenB), into the national infant immunisation programme. This vaccine is 
like no other licensed vaccine and poses a number of implementation and 
surveillance challenges in England. From 01 September 2015, UK infants were 
offered a reduced two dose primary immunisation schedule at 2 and 4 months 
followed by a booster at 12 months. Because of high rates of fever 
post-vaccination, parents were advised to give their infants three doses of 
prophylactic paracetamol, with the first dose given as soon as possible after 
the primary MenB vaccination dose. Since the vaccine only protects against 
73-88% of MenB strains causing invasive disease in England, clinical isolates 
and PCR-positive samples will require extensive characterisation by the 
Meningococcal Reference Unit (MRU) at Public Health England (PHE) in order to 
monitor vaccine effectiveness and identify potential vaccine failures. PHE is 
also conducting detailed clinical and epidemiological surveillance to assess the 
impact of the MenB immunisation programme on the morbidity and mortality 
associated with invasive meningococcal disease in infants and young children.