Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal disease (meh-ning-goh-KOK-uhl deh-ZEEZ) is a rare infection that Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) bacteria cause. Another name for N. meningitidis is meningococcus (meh-ning-goh-KOK-uhs).

N. meningitidis can infect your meninges and blood. Your meninges are the three membranes that cover your brain and spinal cord. Membranes are thin layers of tissue that protect what they surround, like the skin around an orange or grapefruit.

In 2023, there were around 400 cases of meningococcal disease in the U.S.

Meningococcal disease is serious. It can be fatal without treatment. Get medical help immediately if you have symptoms of the disease.

What are the symptoms of meningococcal disease?

Common symptoms of meningococcal disease include:

• Being bothered by bright light
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin rash that looks like dark, discolored pinpoints or a bigger area that looks like a bruise
• Stiff neck

Other signs that you may have meningococcal disease include:

• Confusion and irritability
• Feeling very sleepy
• Difficulty walking or staying upright
• Grunting and moaning
• Joint pain and muscle pain
• Loss of appetite

What are symptoms in babies?

It can be difficult to notice meningococcal disease symptoms in babies and young children. They may even be different from symptoms in older children or adults. Common symptoms include:

• Being irritable for no reason
• Being twitchy or floppy
• Being very tired
• A bulging soft spot in their skull
• Refusing to eat

How do people get meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease spreads from person to person, usually through close contact with someone who has it. It spreads through spit or mucus through activities like:

• Coughing
• Kissing
• Sharing drinks or eating utensils like forks or spoons
• Sneezing

N. meningitidis doesn’t live long outside of your body. It can’t survive on surfaces.

Risk factors

Anyone can get meningococcal disease. But you’re at a greater risk of developing it if you:

• Are less than a year old, a teenager or an early adult, especially if you smoke or are exposed to smoke
• Have a spleen injury or no spleen
• Have sickle cell disease
• Live in the same area as a lot of other people, like college campuses or military barracks
• Take complement inhibitor medications, like eculizumab (Soliris®) and ravulizumab (Ultomiris®)
• Visit areas outside of the U.S. where meningococcal disease is common, like sub-Saharan Africa

Complications of meningococcal disease

Meningococcal disease is serious. About 10 to 15 out of every 100 people who have meningococcal disease die, even with treatment.

About 1 in 5 people who survive have long-term complications, including:

• Brain damage
• Kidney damage
• Loss of limbs
• Nerve damage
• Total hearing loss (deafness)

How doctors diagnose this condition

Meningococcal disease can be challenging for healthcare providers to diagnose because it shares many of the same symptoms as the common cold or flu. If a provider suspects you have meningococcal disease, they’ll recommend blood tests and a spinal tap to collect spinal fluid.

They’ll send your samples to a lab to look for bacteria and see if they grow. If N. meningitidis grows in your samples, that means you have meningococcal disease.

If providers can’t tell if you have meningococcal disease from your samples, they may order a PCR test.

How is it treated?

Healthcare providers treat meningococcal disease with antibiotics like ceftriaxone (Ceftrisol Plus®, Rocephin®) or penicillin. They usually give them to you through an intravenous (IV) tube they inject into a vein. If they think you have meningococcal disease, they’ll start you on antibiotics even before an official diagnosis. It’s very important to start treatment as soon as possible.

In addition to antibiotics, you may need treatments such as:

• Corticosteroids to reduce damage to your nervous system
• IV fluids
• Medications to treat low blood pressure
• Oxygen therapy
• Surgery to treat dead or damaged skin

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact a healthcare provider immediately if you or your child has symptoms of meningococcal disease. If you have any reactions to your treatments, or if you find your symptoms getting worse, reach out again.

During your appointment, you may wish to ask the following questions:

• How did I get meningococcal disease?
• How severe is my case?
• Do I need any other treatment besides antibiotics?
• Should people I’m in close contact with see a provider for testing?

What can I expect if I have meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is very serious. It can even be fatal. Getting treatment right away is very important. But even with early treatment, it’s still possible to have complications, including permanent damage to your skin or loss of limbs. A complete recovery can take weeks or months. You’ll receive antibiotics over seven to 10 days. But it may take longer to feel better.

Unlike other types of infections, you can get meningococcal disease more than once. Healthcare providers might test your immune system if you get it again.

Can this be prevented?

Yes, you can help prevent meningococcal disease in a few different ways. They’re similar to how you might prevent other bacterial infections.

Avoiding people who are sick

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Don’t share food or drinks. If you have to spend time around people who are sick, it’s a good idea to wear a mask over your nose and mouth. You should also wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands.

Getting vaccinated

There are three vaccines in the U.S. that help prevent meningococcal disease:

• Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccines
• Pentavalent (MenABCWY) vaccines
• Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines

Taking preventive antibiotics

If you take complement inhibitors or are in close contact with someone who has meningococcal disease, healthcare providers may suggest you also take antibiotics.

What is the difference between meningococcal disease and meningitis?

Even though they sound the same, meningococcal disease and meningitis are different issues. N. meningitidis causes meningococcal disease. Meningitis refers to inflammation of your meninges. It can happen if you have meningococcal disease. But it can happen if you have other conditions, too. N. meningitidis doesn’t cause all cases of meningitis.

What is the difference between meningococcal disease and meningococcemia?

Meningococcemia is another condition N. meningitidis causes. It happens when the bacteria get into your bloodstream and cause an infection. It can destroy your blood vessels and keep the tissues in your body from getting oxygen.