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What age can you get meningitis. Meningitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention Across All Age Groups

What are the early signs of meningitis. How does meningococcal disease spread. Who is most at risk for contracting meningitis. Why are vaccines crucial in preventing meningococcal infections. When should children and teens receive meningococcal vaccines.

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Understanding Meningococcal Disease: A Serious Health Threat

Meningococcal disease is a severe bacterial infection that can lead to meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) and bloodstream infections. This potentially life-threatening condition affects people of all ages, but certain groups are at higher risk.

How serious is meningococcal disease? Approximately 375 cases are reported annually in the United States, with a mortality rate of 10-15%. Among survivors, up to 20% may experience permanent disabilities, including deafness, brain damage, limb loss, and seizures.

Age-Related Risk Factors

While meningococcal disease can affect anyone, certain age groups are more susceptible:

  • Infants under 1 year of age: Highest risk group
  • Adolescents and young adults: Increased risk starting around age 11, peaking at 19
  • Older adults: Risk may increase due to weakened immune systems

Recognizing Meningitis Symptoms: Early Detection is Crucial

Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, making prompt recognition of symptoms essential. Common signs include:

  • High fever
  • Severe headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Confusion
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Extreme fatigue

In cases of bloodstream infection, a distinctive rash may develop. It’s important to note that early symptoms can mimic those of influenza or other common illnesses, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis.

When should you seek medical attention for suspected meningitis? If you or someone you know experiences any combination of these symptoms, especially a sudden onset of high fever and neck stiffness, contact a healthcare provider immediately. Rapid intervention can be life-saving in cases of meningococcal disease.

Transmission of Meningococcal Disease: Understanding the Spread

Meningococcal bacteria primarily spread through close contact with respiratory and throat secretions. This can occur through various everyday activities:

  • Kissing
  • Sharing eating utensils or drinking containers
  • Coughing or sneezing in close proximity
  • Living in close quarters (e.g., dormitories, military barracks)

Why is meningococcal disease more common in certain settings? Environments that promote close contact between individuals, such as college campuses or crowded living conditions, can increase the risk of transmission. This explains the higher incidence among adolescents and young adults in these situations.

Preventing Meningococcal Disease: Vaccines and Hygiene Practices

Prevention of meningococcal disease relies on two primary strategies: vaccination and good hygiene practices.

Meningococcal Vaccines

Vaccination is the most effective method for preventing meningococcal disease. Two types of vaccines are available:

  1. Meningococcal ACWY vaccine (MenACWY): Protects against four common strains in the U.S. and one strain prevalent in certain foreign countries
  2. Meningococcal B vaccine (MenB): Targets the B strain, which is more common in infants and can affect adolescents

How effective are meningococcal vaccines? These vaccines are highly effective in preventing infection from the targeted strains. However, it’s important to note that they do not protect against all types of meningitis-causing bacteria.

Hygiene Practices

In addition to vaccination, simple hygiene measures can help reduce the risk of transmission:

  • Frequent handwashing
  • Avoiding sharing personal items like utensils, drinking containers, or smoking materials
  • Covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
  • Maintaining good overall health to support immune function

Vaccination Recommendations: Who Needs Meningococcal Vaccines and When

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides specific recommendations for meningococcal vaccination:

MenACWY Vaccine

  • All children aged 11-12 years
  • Booster dose at age 16
  • Catch-up vaccination for adolescents aged 13-18 who haven’t received a dose
  • Individuals aged 2 months and older with certain immune-compromising conditions

MenB Vaccine

  • May be given at age 16 along with the MenACWY booster
  • Recommended for children 10 years and older with specific high-risk conditions
  • Dosage varies based on the product used and individual risk factors

Why is vaccination particularly important for preteens and teens? This age group experiences an increased risk of meningococcal disease, and vaccination provides critical protection during these vulnerable years.

Vaccine Safety and Side Effects: What to Expect

Meningococcal vaccines have been extensively tested and are considered safe and effective. However, like any medical intervention, they may cause some side effects:

Common Side Effects

  • Redness or pain at the injection site
  • Mild fever
  • Fatigue

Rare Side Effects

Severe allergic reactions are extremely rare but can occur. Healthcare providers are prepared to manage such reactions if they arise.

Is the risk of vaccination worth it? The benefits of meningococcal vaccination far outweigh the potential risks. The chance of experiencing severe side effects from the vaccine is significantly lower than the risk of complications from meningococcal disease itself.

Access to Meningococcal Vaccines: Ensuring Availability for All

Meningococcal vaccines are widely available through healthcare providers, public health clinics, and some pharmacies. For those concerned about cost:

  • Many insurance plans cover meningococcal vaccines
  • The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides free vaccines to eligible children
  • Some state health departments offer low-cost or free vaccination programs

How can you find affordable vaccination options? Contact your local health department or visit the CDC’s VFC website to locate providers offering low-cost or free meningococcal vaccines.

Special Considerations: High-Risk Groups and Travel

Certain individuals may require additional or more frequent meningococcal vaccinations:

High-Risk Medical Conditions

  • Complement component deficiency
  • HIV infection
  • Asplenia (absence of a functional spleen)

Occupational and Lifestyle Factors

  • Microbiologists working with Neisseria meningitidis
  • Military recruits
  • Individuals traveling to areas with high rates of meningococcal disease

Why might travelers need meningococcal vaccination? Some regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have higher rates of meningococcal disease. Vaccination can provide crucial protection for travelers to these areas.

Meningococcal disease remains a significant public health concern, but with proper vaccination and preventive measures, its impact can be substantially reduced. By understanding the risks, recognizing symptoms, and following vaccination recommendations, individuals can protect themselves and their communities from this serious infection. As research continues and vaccine technologies advance, we may see even more effective prevention strategies in the future, further reducing the burden of meningococcal disease worldwide.

Meningococcal Vaccine: Why Preteens and Teens Should Get It

Download a PDF version formatted for print:
Meningococcal Vaccine: Why Preteens and Teens Should Get It (PDF)

On this page:
What is meningococcal disease?
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
How does meningococcal disease spread?
How can you prevent meningococcal disease?
What are the options for meningococcal vaccine?
Who should get the meningococcal vaccines?
What are the risks from meningococcal vaccines?
Are free or low-cost meningococcal shots available?
How can I learn more?

What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by a bacterium. It can cause meningitis, which is an infection of the brain and spinal cord, and it can also cause blood infections. The infection can cause death or lifelong disability.

About 375 people get the disease each year, and about 10 to 15 out of 100 people infected with meningococcal disease die. Of those who survive, up to one out of five will have permanent disabilities, such as deafness, brain damage, loss of limbs, or seizures.

A person with meningococcal disease may become seriously ill very quickly. Antibiotics can treat meningococcal infections, but often can’t be given soon enough to help.

Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but it is most common in infants less than 1 year of age. Teens are less likely to be infected than infants, but disease levels increase in adolescence starting around age 11, and peak around age 19 years.

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

Symptoms can include:

  • High fever
  • Headache
  • Very stiff neck
  • Confusion
  • Nausea
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Vomiting
  • Exhaustion

If a person has a blood disease, a rash may also develop. Early symptoms can easily be mistaken for influenza or other illnesses. Contact your health care provider immediately if you have symptoms.

How does meningococcal disease spread?

Meningococcal disease is spread by contact with secretions (saliva or spit) from the nose and throat. Kissing, sharing silverware, drinking directly from the same container, sharing a cigarette or lipstick, coughing, and having close social contact (living in the same household) are examples of how this disease spreads.

How can you prevent meningococcal disease?

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent meningococcal disease.

Other ways for everyone to prevent infection include washing your hands often and avoiding sharing silverware, drinking containers, lipstick, and smoking materials.

What are the options for meningococcal vaccine?

Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) is highly effective at protecting against four strains of the meningococcal bacteria. Three strains are common in the United States and the fourth strain protects travelers to certain countries where the disease is more common.

The MenACWY vaccine does not contain the meningococcal B strain that is more commonly found in infants and may cause some cases in adolescents. There is an additional vaccine, meningococcal B vaccine (MenB), that contains the B strain. If your clinic does not carry the MenB vaccine, you can ask them to order it for you, or to refer you to another clinic that has the vaccine. Talk to your health care provider about getting this additional vaccine.

Who should get the meningococcal vaccines?

All children ages 11 through 12 years should receive meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) followed by a booster dose at age 16 years. Vaccination is also recommended for all adolescents ages 13 through 18 years who did not receive a dose at age 11-12 years.

Individuals ages 2 months and older who have certain conditions that weaken their immune system should receive meningococcal vaccine, including teens who are HIV positive. These persons should also receive booster shots every three to five years depending on their age. Talk to your health care provider if your preteen or teen has a condition that makes it harder for their body to fight off infection.

The MenB vaccine may also be given at age 16 years along with the MenACWY booster dose. MenB vaccine is also recommended for children age 10 years and older with certain high-risk conditions. The number of doses needed depends on the product used and if your child has a high-risk condition. Talk to your health care provider about this additional vaccine.

What are the risks from meningococcal vaccine?

Most people have mild side effects from the vaccine, such as redness or pain where the shot was given. A vaccine, like any medicine, may cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. This risk is extremely small. Getting the meningococcal vaccine is much safer than getting the disease.

You can learn more on the Vaccine Information Statements for meningococcal ACWY and meningococcal B.

Are free or low-cost meningococcal shots available?

Yes, if you don’t have insurance or your insurance does not cover the cost of the meningococcal vaccines, you may be able to find free or low-cost meningococcal shots.

  • Talk to your doctor or clinic to see if they participate in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children Program. If the person in need of vaccination is 18 years old or younger, they may be eligible for no-cost vaccines. However, there may be an administration fee of up to $21.22 per shot.
  • Talk to your city or county health department. They may be able to provide low-cost meningococcal shots.

How can I learn more?

Talk to your doctor or clinic, or call your local health department’s immunization program. You can also find information on these websites:

  • MDH: Meningococcal Disease
  • CDC: Meningococcal Vaccination
  • National Meningitis Association

Signs, Symptoms and Treatment Options



Nationwide Children’s Hospital




Meningitis (men-in-JIE-tiss) is an infection of the meninges (men-IN-jeez). These are the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (Picture 1). Meningitis is more common in infants and young children than in adults. Children with cochlear ear implants, frequent sinus infections, brain surgery, or a recent serious head injury are at increased risk for meningitis.

Meningitis is caused by germs – either bacteria or viruses. A child catches the germs by breathing in the mist or touching the drainage (mucus or saliva) from an infected person. Once the germs enter the child’s nose or throat, they can spread quickly through the bloodstream to the meninges.

Prevention

  • Vaccines help prevent certain types of bacterial Bacterial meningitis is serious. It can be life-threatening or cause hearing loss. It must be treated in a hospital as soon as possible. To prevent common types of bacterial meningitis infections, your child should get the following vaccines:
    • For children 2 months of age and older – pneumococcal vaccine (Prevnar®) for pneumoniae and Hib vaccine for H. influenzae.
    • For children 11 to 12 years of age –meningococcal vaccines for meningitidis.
  • There are no vaccines for viral meningitis. In most cases, it is less serious and goes away on its own.

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of bacterial and viral meningitis can be the same.

Early Signs Are:

  • Chills and a fever – rectal (child’s bottom) temperature over 100.4° Fahrenheit (F) or 38˚ Celsius (C). Babies under 3 months may not have a fever.
  • Increased tiredness
  • Cranky, fussy
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Severe headache
  • Vomiting (throwing up)
  • Unusual high-pitched cry
  • Stiff neck – your child may hold their neck still or cry when it moves
  • In babies, sometimes bulging at the fontanel (soft spot) on their head

Later Signs Are:

  • Convulsions (seizures)
  • Confusion
  • Staggering or swaying when walking
  • Hallucinations
  • Loss of consciousness, does not wake up when touched

If you suspect your child has bacterial meningitis or is getting sicker, take them to the closest hospital emergency department or call 911.

Diagnosis

Bacterial meningitis must be diagnosed and treated in a hospital. Once your child is admitted to the hospital, they may have the following tests done to find out which germ is causing meningitis and how bad the infection is:

  • Lumbar puncture (LP) is also called a spinal tap. A sample of spinal fluid is taken from the spinal canal. To do this test, a needle is passed through a space between the vertebrae (bones) at the base of the spine and into the spinal canal (Picture 2). A small amount of spinal fluid is collected and sent to the lab for testing. The lab can get preliminary test results of the spinal tap in a few hours. It may take up to 3 days to get the final test results.
  • Imaging tests that take pictures of the brain and body. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scan the brain to look for swelling and injury. These tests are not painful.

Treatment in the Hospital

Your Child:

  • Will have an intravenous (IV) tube put into their vein so that they can get medicine to kill the bacteria. These antibacterial antibiotics are started right away before the final lab results are ready. Fluids and other medicines may also be given by IV.
    • If the lab report shows bacteria, your child will be treated in the hospital for a longer time. The length of time depends on the type of bacteria found.
    • If the lab report shows no bacteria are present and that a virus has caused meningitis, the antibacterial antibiotics will be stopped.
  • Will be in isolation for at least the first 24 hours.
    • Everyone must wear a gown and mask while in their room.
    • Family members who have been around your child must also wear a mask outside your child’s room.
    • Everyone will follow careful handwashing procedures.
  • May not be allowed to drink anything during the first 24 hours. If drinking is allowed, the amount will be limited.
  • May receive oxygen.
  • May need to be connected to a heart monitor or an oxygen saturation monitor. These monitors help the nurses watch your child closely.
  • Will have blood tests done often the first few days.

A Nurse Will Check Your Child’s:

  • Pulse, temperature, and breathing rate often
  • Eye reactions, body movements, level of sleepiness, and for babies, how their fontanel looks

Your Child May Be Very Irritable and Not Want to Be Held. Things That Might Comfort Them Are:

  • Dimming the lights in the room
  • Keeping the room quiet
  • Helping with their care, if allowed. Let their nurse know what help you can give.

Depending on the type of bacteria present, people who have had close contact with your child, like family members and babysitters, may need to be treated with an oral (by mouth) antibiotic.

Before Going Home

Your child’s health care providers will talk to you about:

  • Your child’s progress and response to treatment
  • Medicines to take at home
  • Signs and symptoms to watch
  • The need for home care services and how they will be arranged
  • Scheduling follow-up visits at the clinic which may include visits to specialists for hearing tests and developmental assessments
  • How to contact your child’s health care providers
  • The need for a note to give to your child’s school or childcare facility

When to Call the Health Care Provider

Call your child’s health care provider if they have:

  • Chills or a fever of 101˚ F or 38. 3˚ C or above
  • A stiff neck again – hold their neck still or cry when their head moves
  • Vomiting
  • Change in behavior – crying more than usual, irritable, more sleepy, confused
  • Hearing loss
  • Severe headaches
  • Bulging soft spot on their head – babies only

If you suspect your child’s bacterial meningitis is coming back or they are getting sicker, take them to the closest hospital emergency department or call 911.

Meningitis (PDF)

HH-I-89 9/78, Revised 2/22 Copyright 1978-2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital


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How not to get meningitis? — Meduza

1

What is this disease?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord, which causes swelling of the brain and, as a result, increased intracranial pressure. The disease develops extremely quickly and in some cases leads to death already in the first day after the onset of symptoms, and it can also cause serious brain damage. The most common cause of infection is a virus, but it can also be caused by bacteria, and sometimes fungi. In most cases, viral meningitis occurs due to enteroviruses (their distribution peaks in late summer and early autumn) and herpes viruses; bacterial – due to meningococci, pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae type b. Some other viruses and bacteria can also cause meningitis, but this happens much less frequently.

2

Why are you talking about him? How high is the risk of getting meningitis?

In Russia, this disease is no more common than in many other countries. Nevertheless, news regularly appears that outbreaks of meningitis have been recorded in one or another region of Russia. According to Rospotrebnadzor, in 2016, 737 Russians had meningococcal infection (a bacterial form of meningitis), and there were 1. 8 times more cases of enteroviral meningitis than last year. Bacterial meningitis in children can lead to death (according to various sources, up to 15% of cases end in this way). Survivors often develop consequences such as hearing loss , neurological disorders, sometimes requiring amputation of arms and / or legs. With viral meningitis, the prognosis is much better.

3

Who is at risk?

The risk of getting bacterial meningitis is higher in infants and the elderly (age 60 and over). In addition, meningitis, like all infectious diseases, spreads more actively where large groups of people live together (for example, in barracks or student dormitories). Under these conditions, it is more likely to be in a company with an asymptomatic carrier of meningococcus (according to statistics, this is 5-10% of adults, and in closed groups this proportion can increase to 60-80%). People with immunodeficiency and the absence of a spleen are also susceptible to the disease. Travelers are at risk of contracting meningococcus if they go to places with a high prevalence of this infection, such as sub-Saharan Africa, especially during the dry season, or to Mecca during the annual hajj and umrah pilgrimage.

4

How to recognize meningitis?

Meningitis is insidious in that at first its symptoms can be easily confused, for example, with flu symptoms. With meningitis, the temperature rises, there is a headache, increased sensitivity to light, it becomes difficult to tilt the head. There are often additional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, confusion, and a rash on the body.

5

How do you know if a baby has meningitis?

Diagnosing meningitis symptoms in infants can be extremely difficult because typical symptoms such as fever, headache, and neck stiffness may not be present or may be difficult to detect. Instead, the child may become irritable, lethargic, lose their appetite, or vomit. Often a rash also occurs, and it is very characteristic: it does not disappear with pressure. In order to check if you are dealing with this rash, you can resort to the glass test: you need to press a transparent glass glass on the rash – if it does not disappear, then you urgently need to go to the hospital. If there is no rash, but there are other signs of meningitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. The same, by the way, applies to adults.

6

Is meningitis transmitted in everyday life?

Meningococcal infection, like many others, is transmitted by airborne droplets. That is, in order for a person to become infected, it is enough just to sneeze on him.

7

And how can you not get meningitis?

It is impossible to completely protect against meningitis, because there are still no vaccines against all pathogens. So it remains only to wash your hands regularly and, in general, do everything that needs to be done to prevent the usual SARS or flu.

8

But is it still worth getting vaccinated?

Of course, you also need to be vaccinated, this will protect against some viruses and bacteria that cause meningitis. There is no one vaccine that would protect against all pathogens of meningitis at once, but you can get vaccinated against meningococcus, pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, mumps (mumps), measles, chickenpox and influenza.

There are several vaccines for meningococcus that protect against different serogroups of this bacterium. Which one is the most dangerous for you depends on where you live. In Europe, America and Russia as a whole, serogroup B is most common, followed by serogroup C. In Russia, meningococci of serogroups A and W are also pathogens. What is more common in your region, it is better to check with the local Rospotrebnadzor.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends meningococcal vaccination for children aged 11-12 and 16, and children with a damaged or missing spleen, HIV infection, or immunodeficiency. According to the American vaccination schedule, adults and the elderly need the meningococcal vaccine in certain cases: for example, if there is a high incidence in the region, if the spleen is damaged or removed, and HIV infection. There are no mandatory vaccinations against meningococcus and chicken pox in the Russian National Calendar, but you can get vaccinated at your own expense.

9

Is it possible to recover from meningitis?

You can, the main thing is to start on time. Doctors treat meningitis with antibiotics or antivirals, depending on the pathogen. With meningococcal infection, the disease sometimes develops very quickly – it can take about a day between the first symptoms and death, so if you suspect meningitis, contact your doctor immediately.

Is it possible to get meningitis if you go without a hat?

Society

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In childhood, many of us were scared – do not go without a hat, otherwise there will be meningitis. Today it is known that up to 20% of the world’s population are carriers of the pathogens of this disease. Every year, 1.2 million people fall ill with it, of which one in ten dies, and one in five becomes disabled.

Photo: Gennady Cherkasov

However, not every meningitis is dangerous. April 24th is World Meningitis Day to raise people’s awareness of the disease, its consequences and prevention options.

So, meningitis is a serious infectious disease that causes inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Experts talk about several types of meningitis, depending on what caused it. There are three main types of meningitis: bacterial, viral and fungal. And if the viral and fungal types of meningitis are not so life-threatening, then bacterial meningitis is the most common and dangerous of those listed. In most cases, it is caused by meningococcal and pneumococcal infections, as well as Haemophilus influenzae.

The initial symptoms are similar to those of a cold or flu – headache, sensitivity to light, fever. They can appear in any order, and some of them may not appear at all.

Often people with meningitis in the early stages of the disease do not realize that they need to urgently seek medical help. Given that meningitis develops rapidly, and its last stages of development are deadly, it becomes clear that such a delay can be fatal.

It is believed that about 10-20% of the population are carriers of pathogens of one type or another of meningitis. Since this is an infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets, it can affect anyone, regardless of country of residence, age and gender. As a result, the risk of infection increases – it is impossible to predict in advance from which person the infection will be transmitted.

According to statistics, about 1.2 million people fall ill with meningitis every year, 1 out of 10 patients with meningitis dies due to the rapid development of the disease (120 thousand people), and every fifth person who has been ill becomes disabled or has health complications (240 thousand people).

Of course, meningitis is especially dangerous for those who have a weakened immune system. First of all, this applies to children under five years of age – their immune system is not yet fully formed and cannot fully fight certain types of infections, for example, pneumococcal. As a result, 34% of children under 5 years of age with pneumococcal meningitis die from the disease.

Today, however, bacterial meningitis can be prevented by vaccination. There are quality vaccines against pneumococcus, meningococcus, and Haemophilus influenzae. And all of them are now available to Russians. Vaccination helps the body prepare in advance for an infection. And even if a person who has been immunized gets sick with meningitis, the disease does not develop so rapidly, and the chances of recovery are much greater, moreover, there is a chance that the body will be able to overcome the infection on its own.

For example, the world has been vaccinating against pneumococcal infection for 14 years for children from 2 months of age.