Clinical Overview of Meningococcal Disease

Key points

  • Meningococcal disease is an uncommon but very serious infection.
  • There are many factors that can increase someone's risk for meningococcal disease.
  • The two most common syndromes of meningococcal disease are meningitis and septicemia.
  • Close contacts of someone with meningococcal disease should receive prophylaxis.
  • Maintain awareness of meningococcal vaccination recommendations.
This illustration depicts a three-dimensional (3D) computer-generated image of a number of diplococcal, Gram-negative, Neisseria meningitidis, bacteria.

Cause

Neisseria meningitidis are gram-negative diplococcal bacteria that cause meningococcal disease.

Types

There are multiple serogroups of N. meningitidis. Serogroups B, C, and Y cause the majority of disease in the United States. Serogroup W and nongroupable strains cause a small portion of disease in the United States.

Risk factors

Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but some factors increase risk.

Close contact

Household or close contacts of case patients are at increased risk.

Medical conditions

People with certain medical conditions are at increased risk:

  • Functional or anatomic asplenia
  • HIV infection
  • Persistent complement component deficiencies

These complement components include C3, C5-9, properdin, factor H, and factor D.

Consider complement testing for meningococcal patients

Meningococcal disease is often the first sign someone has a complement deficiency. Recurrent disease may occur for patients with complement deficiency. Consider complement testing in patients with meningococcal disease.

Medications

People who receive complement inhibitors (e.g., eculizumab [Soliris®], ravulizumab [Ultomiris™]) are at increased risk.

Healthcare providers typically prescribe complement inhibitors for treatment of

  • Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome
  • Generalized myasthenia gravis
  • Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
  • Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Managing risk for patients who receive complement inhibitors

Vaccines and antimicrobial prophylaxis likely provide incomplete protection for patients receiving eculizumab or ravulizumab. These patients should seek medical care immediately for meningococcal disease symptoms, regardless of vaccination status or antibiotic use.

Read CDC's clinical guidance

Age

  • Infants younger than one year of age
  • Adolescents and young adults 16 through 23 years of age
  • Adults 85 years of age or older

The following age groups have higher rates of disease than other ages:

Places and settings

The following groups of people have increased risk based on where they work, live, or travel:

  • Microbiologists routinely exposed to isolates of N. meningitidis
  • People identified as being at increased risk because of an outbreak
  • Travelers to certain countries
  • First-year college students living in residence halls
  • Military recruits
Keep Reading Meningococcal Disease

How it spreads

People spread meningococcal bacteria to others by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact.

People with meningococcal disease and those who carry the bacteria asymptomatically in the nasopharynx can spread the bacteria.

Humans are the only host.

Prevention

Prophylaxis and vaccination are two strategies to help prevent this disease.

Prophylaxis

CDC recommends prophylaxis for close contacts of patients with meningococcal disease, regardless of vaccination status.

When to consider antimicrobial susceptibility testing

If ciprofloxacin-resistant strains have been reported in your state within the past 2 years, consider antimicrobial susceptibility testing to inform prophylaxis decisions.
Read CDC's guidance on antibiotic-resistant N. meningitidis

Vaccination

CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for all preteens and teens. CDC also recommends clinicians vaccinate children and adults who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease.

Keep Reading Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations

Diagnosis and treatment

Because of the risks of severe morbidity and death, prompt diagnosis and treatment are important.

Keep Reading Clinical Guidance for Meningococcal Disease

Trends and surveillance

Meningococcal disease is an uncommon but reportable condition in the United States.

Cases of meningococcal disease in the United States have increased sharply since 2021 and now exceed pre-pandemic levels.

For Public Health Meningococcal Disease Surveillance and Trends

Resources

Meningococcal chapter of the Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Meningococcal communication and print resources

Print
Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Division of Bacterial Diseases