About Meningococcal Disease
Meningococcal bacteria are spread by sharing respiratory and throat secretions.
The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit) during close (coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact.
People do not catch the bacteria through casual contact or by breathing air where someone with meningococcal disease has been.
Most people exposed to N. meningitidis do not become ill and are called “carriers.”
Health departments investigate each case of meningococcal disease to identify all close contacts and make sure they receive antibiotics to help prevent them from getting the disease.
Types & Symptoms
The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis and septicemia.
A small proportion of infected people can develop serious illness.
You should not delay seeking care if you experience the following symptoms of meningococcal disease. Symptoms can first appear flu-like and quickly become more severe.
- Meningitis: sudden fever, headache, stiff neck, and light sensitivity.
- Bloodstream infection: sudden fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Symptoms can differ in infants and may include:
- Inactivity
- Irritability,
- Vomiting
- Poor feeding
- Bulging soft spot on their head
Prevention
The best way to prevent meningococcal disease is to get vaccinated.
Vaccines can help prevent meningococcal disease. There are 3 types of meningococcal vaccines available in the United States:
- Meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccines (Menveo® and MenQuadfi®)
- Serogroup B meningococcal or MenB vaccines (Bexsero® and Trumenba®)
- Pentavalent meningococcal or MenABCWY vaccine (PenbrayaTM)
Who should Get Vaccinated
- All adolescents should receive a MenACWY vaccine at 11 to 12 years of age and a booster dose at 16 years of age.
- MenACWY vaccination is also recommended for children and adults at increased risk for meningococcal disease.
- Teens and young adults (16 through 23 years old) also may get a MenB vaccine.
- Those getting MenACWY and MenB vaccines at the same time may get a MenABCWY vaccine instead.
Talk to your healthcare provider or local health department if you have questions about accessing meningococcal vaccine.
Information & Resources
Resources for Healthcare Providers
- Immediately notify your local health department (LHD) if meningococcal disease is suspected based on clinical findings or laboratory results of gram-negative diplococci or N. meningitidis from a normally sterile site
- Because of the risks of severe morbidity and death, effective antibiotics should be administered promptly to patients suspected of having meningococcal disease.
- Empirical therapy for suspected meningococcal disease should include an extended-spectrum cephalosporin, such as cefotaxime or ceftriaxone.
- Ciprofloxacin and penicillin-resistant strains of N. meningitidis have been reported in Virginia.
- Healthcare providers should ascertain susceptibility of meningococcal isolates to penicillin before using penicillin or ampicillin for treatment.
- Resistant strains are most frequently identified in Northern Virginia. Healthcare providers in the region should suspend use of ciprofloxacin as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent PEP failure in contacts. Alternative PEP options for Northern Virginia include rifampin, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin.
- Ensure that all patients who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease are up to date on recommended meningococcal vaccines.