Parents share video of their infant son’s violent seizures which they claim could be linked to meningitis B vaccine
Bobby Maguire's parents Luke and Louise are awaiting test results to see if their son is suffering a rare genetic form of epilepsy
A CONCERNED couple claim their baby son began suffering up to 14 violent fits a day, after having a new meningitis jab.
Luke Maguire and Louise McKever say they have made more than 55 hospital visits and 999 calls since 10-month-old Bobby had the meningitis B vaccine in the summer.
The jab is part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme, and is recommended to be given to babies at eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year.
It babies against meningococcal group B bacteria, which cause more than 90 per cent of meningococcal infections in young kids.
Those infections can trigger life-threatening meningitis and septicaemia, or blood poisoning, which can lead to severe brain damage, amputations and in some cases, death.
First-time parents Luke, 26, and 22-year-old Louise, allege the Bexsero Men B vaccine is responsible for Bobby's fits, as well as causing the tot stomach problems, night terrors and allergies.
Mum Louise said: "When Bobby has a seizure it is heartbreaking to watch - I wish I could take it away.
"But despite everything he has been through, he is the happiest baby and he is always smiling."
Fits are listed as an uncommon side-effect of the jab, that could affect up to one in 100 people given the vaccine.
The safety of the meningitis B vaccine has been thoroughly investigated in clinical trials and since then we estimate that over 1.4 million doses of the vaccine have been given in the UK. There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest an association between the meningitis B vaccine and seizures
Spokesman
The Bexsero patient information leaflet, given to parents, states uncommon side-effects in infants and kids can include high fever, seizures including febrile seizures (those triggered by high temperatures) and vomiting.
Almost 8,000 people, including more than 5,000 babies and toddlers were given the Men B jab during clinical trials, before it was made available on the NHS last September.
Since it was licensed, almost a million doses have been given, with no safety concerns identified, according to NHS Choices.
Luke and Louise were so concerned at their son's seizures, they filmed him fitting.
Bobby is currently on medication to control his fits and is undergoing tests to see if a form of epilepsy could be causing his seizures, independently of the vaccine.
His parents say CT and MRI scans, an EEG scan which assesses how the brain's cells communicate with one another, and blood tests have all come back negative.
Related Stories
But they said they are now waiting for test results for a complex genetic epilepsy disorder.
One expert, who has viewed the footage of Bobby's fits, claims it is unlikely they are linked to the jab.
The expert said Bobby is suffering tonic-clonic seizures, which could be a symptom of the rare Dravet syndrome.
Chantal Spittles, of Epilepsy Action, said: "We are not aware of a link between epilepsy and the meningitis B vaccine.
"There are lots of age-specific epilepsies which are common in children of Bobby's age, including some lesser known syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome.
"In the UK, around one in every 240 children under the age of 16 will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
"If your child starts to experience seizures, it is important to talk to your doctor.
"They may then suggest further tests and possibly brain scans to understand the cause and prescribe the best course of treatment."
Dravet syndrome is a rare genetic epileptic condition, that typically begins in a seemingly healthy baby's first year of life.
The government's medicine safety agency has also said there is "insufficient evidence" to suggest a link between the Men B vaccine and seizures.
Dad-of-one, Luke from Northumberland, said: "From the moment Bobby started having seizures, I feared it was from the vaccinations.
"He was such a happy baby.
WHAT IS THE MENINGITIS B JAB?
The Men B vaccine is recommended by the NHS for babies aged eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year, as part of the childhood immunisation programme.
The vaccine protects babies against infection by meningococcal group B bacteria, which are responsible for more than 90 per cent of meningococcal infections in young children.
These infections can prove life-threatening, triggering meningitis and septicaemia or blood poisoning, which can cause severe brain damage, amputations and in some cases death.
Like all vaccines the jab can cause side-effects, but studies and clinical trials suggest these are generally mild and do not last long.
Almost 8,000 people, including more than 5,000 babies and toddlers have had the Men B vaccine during clinical trials to test the vaccine's safety.
Since the vaccine was licensed in the UK, almost half a million doses have been given, with no safety concerns identified, according to NHS Choices.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said the vaccine has been found to save lives.
She said: "The number of cases of Men B infection in eligible infants has halved over the last year since the vaccine was introduced, dropping from 74 to 37, showing it is highly effective and can save lives."
"The same day Bobby had his eight-weel vaccinations he got body twitches, his temperature suddenly spiked and he went floppy and unresponsive.
"When the time came for his 16-week jabs we were really concerned.
"The same night we had to call 999 because we woke up and he was gasping for air, blue in the face and experiencing full body twitches.
"Then withing between eight and 10 days the seizures started.
"He was having an average of between four and seven-a-day, and one week was having 14-a-day."
Experts have claimed there is not enough evidence to link the Men B jab to seizures.
A spokesman for the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department of Health which is responsible for ensuring the safety of medicines, said: "The safety of the meningitis B vaccine has been thoroughly investigated in clinical trials and since then we estimate that over 1.4 million doses of the vaccine have been given in the UK.
"There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest an association between the meningitis B vaccine and seizures.
"The safety profile of the vaccine is as expected and raises no safety concerns.
"MHRA keeps the safety of Bexsero, as with all medicines, under continuous review."
The number of cases of Men B infection in eligible infants has halved over the last year since the vaccine was introduced, dropping from 74 to 37, showing it is highly effective and can save lives
Dr Mary Ramsay
Meanwhile, Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, which runs the country's national immunisation programmes, said the jab is important as it "can and does prevent infant cases due to the Men B strain, and will add to the protection children get from the Men C vaccine".
She said the vaccine is saving lives.
"The number of cases of Men B infection in eligible infants has halved over the last year since the vaccine was introduced, dropping from 74 to 37, showing it is highly effective and can save lives," she highlighted.
A spokesman for GSK, who manufacturer the Bexsero vaccine, said: "We've recently heard of this case. We extend our sympathy to the baby's family.
"The cause of his symptoms have not been established and no additional information is available at this time.
"We are actively seeking more information and will work closely with the relevant authorities to establish the details of what has happened as quickly as possible."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368