There were no deaths last year among under-19s from group C meningitis thanks to a national immunisation programme, a report has revealed.
Previously, Meningococcal C/meningitis has killed up to 78 people a year and left serious complications such as brain damage and amputations in survivors.
Overall, the Government's national immunisation programme has prevented well over 3,000 cases of death or serious illness, the Director of Immunisation's report reveals.
The report also revealed that since its introduction in 2006 the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has prevented an estimated 470 cases of serious illness or deaths in young children, such as meningitis, septicaemia and severe pneumonia.
Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, said: "This report highlights some of the recent successes and new challenges for our immunisation programme.
"It is published during the World Health Organisation European Immunisation Week as our work links in with the international efforts to protect our children from vaccine preventable diseases.
"However, it is imperative that we continue to do all we can to encourage take up of vaccines - particularly MMR.
"The evidence on MMR is clear. Population studies and studies in individual children show no link between the vaccine and autism. We need to put that scare behind us and make sure our children are as well protected as possible".
Dawn Primarolo, public health minister, said: "This report underlines the need for vaccination and proves that our programme is helping to halt diseases in their tracks.
"It is proof that the UK has one of the most successful immunisation programmes in the world, thanks to the hard work of NHS staff."