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Summary
Meningococci are a type of bacteria that cause serious infections. The most common infection is meningitis, which is an inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Meningococci can also cause other problems, including a serious bloodstream infection called sepsis.
Meningococcal infections can spread from person to person. Risk factors include
- Age - it is more common in infants, teens, and young adults
- Living in close quarters, such as in college dorms or military settings
- Certain medical conditions, such as not having a spleen
- Travel to areas where meningococcal disease is common
In its early stages, you may have flu-like symptoms and a stiff neck. But the disease can progress quickly and can be fatal. Early diagnosis and treatment are extremely important. Lab tests on your blood and cerebrospinal fluid can tell if you have it. Treatment is with antibiotics. Since the infection spreads from person to person, family members may also need to be treated.
A vaccine can prevent meningococcal infections.
Symptoms
- Meningococcal Disease: Signs and Symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Culture Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Meningococcal ACWY Vaccines - MenACWY and MPSV4: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Disease (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)
- Meningococcal Disease: Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Related Issues
- Meningitis Myths and Facts (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)
- Meningococcal Disease: Causes and Transmission (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Meningococcal Disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Images
- Meningococcus Disease Photos (Immunization Action Coalition)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningococcal Infections
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Arthritis secondary to meningococcal disease: A case series of 7...
- Article: Updated Recommendations for Use of MenB-FHbp Serogroup B Meningococcal Vaccine...
- Article: Innate immune response to lipooligosaccharide: pivotal regulator of the pathobiology...
- Meningococcal Infections -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Children
- Meningococcal Vaccine (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Vaccines: What You Need to Know (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Teenagers
- Meningococcal Disease: Information for Teens and College Students (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Meningococcal Vaccine: A Guide for Teens (Children's Hospital Boston)
Women
- Meningococcal Disease (Bacterial Meningitis) Vaccine and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Meningococcemia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish