Meningitis vaccines ‘could help protect against gonorrhoea as cases rise globally’

A full meningitis vaccination provides 40 per cent protection against gonorrhoea, reports Aisha Rimi

More than 80 million new cases of gonorrhoea were recorded worldwide in 2020 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Existing meningitis vaccines could be used to tackle untreatable gonorrhoea, studies suggest.

As the vaccines have become more widely available, studies have shown they also offer some protection against gonorrhoea, and that even partial protection could reduce cases of the infection considerably.

According to three linked papers published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, the vaccines could help improve protection against the sexually transmitted disease (STD).