Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program

Airborne and Direct Contact Diseases - Meningococcal Disease

Invasive meningococcal disease is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults in the United States. Symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, headache and stiff neck in meningitis cases, and sepsis and rash in meningococcemia. Confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease include patients with clinically compatible presentation and laboratory-isolation of Neisseria meningitidis (N. Meningiditis) from a normally sterile site (e.g., blood or cerebrospinal fluid {CSF} or, less commonly, synovial, pleural, or pericardial fluid) or skin scrapings of purpuric lesions.

Public health partners should report cases of invasive meningococcal disease immediately by telephone on the day of recognition or strong suspicion by calling the Division of Infectious Disease at 1-800-821-5821. An epidemiologist is available 24 hours a day to receive disease reports and provide consultation on chemoprophylaxis and other infection control measures.

There are two vaccines licensed in the US for preventing Meningoccocal Disease in persons age 2 to 55 and older. Please see the Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS)