Welsh brothers with rare immune defect survive meningitis B, urging youth vigilance
Saul and Drew Darlington, brothers from Wrexham, both contracted meningitis B as teenagers within a year of each other. They later discovered they share properdin deficiency, a rare immunodeficiency that increases susceptibility to infections. Following a severe outbreak in Kent earlier this year, nearly 20,000 young people in Wales have received catch-up vaccinations. The brothers are now advocating for awareness of symptoms among young adults, noting that early medical intervention was critical to their survival. Public Health Wales reports that 19,700 individuals have received their first dose, with 14,459 completing the second dose, as clinics target university students.
