France is facing a “particularly high” number of meningococcal infections this year, with the country’s public health agency urging infants, adolescents, and young adults to get vaccinated to prevent the serious and sometimes deadly illness.

Meningococcal infections are caused by bacteria and can lead to meningitis – an infection of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord – and to sepsis.

There were 95 cases of the disease in January and 89 cases in February, Public Health France said, adding that this was “well above” what had been observed in previous years.

The agency noted there were two clusters of meningococcal group B bacteria, which is the most common, among students at a university in Lyon and among a family and students in Rennes.

Vaccination campaigns have been recommended and carried out, particularly among young people, the public health agency said.

Last year, there were 615 cases of meningococcal infections in France, the largest amount since 2010.

The infections may be linked to the severe flu season, as influenza can increase the risk of getting meningitis, the agency added.

How to prevent meningitis

Vaccination of infants against meningitis B and against serogroups A, C, W, and Y has been mandatory since the beginning of the year in France.

The vaccine for the ACWY serogroups is also recommended for adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14, with a booster up to the age of 24, Public Health France said.

Meningitis can cause symptoms such as fever, headache, and a stiff neck, while meningococcal sepsis may lead to a fever, rash, and septic shock, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The ECDC said the disease has a rapid progression and a case fatality rate of between 8 to 15 per cent.

Outbreaks are rare but often occur on university campuses or among groups of people.

Vaccines are the primary way of preventing infection and antibiotics can be used for treatment, the ECDC added.