FL H8065

Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitides, with 1 in 10 people being asymptomatic carriers who can transmit the infection through respiratory and throat secretions during close contact.

Nationwide, 1,000 to 1,200 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed annually, with 10 to 15 percent of infected individuals dying and 11 to 19 percent of survivors suffering serious morbidity including limb loss and nervous system damage.

Infants under 1 year of age and young adults between ages 16 and 21 are most commonly affected by the disease, with 12 different serogroups identified, of which serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y account for most U.S. cases.

Recent outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease on college campuses have resulted in deaths, while vaccines are available that provide protection against all five commonly seen serogroups in the United States.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that vaccination decisions against serogroup B for adolescents and young adults ages 16 to 23 be made individually in consultation with health care providers, while vaccination for serogroups A, C, W, and Y is routinely recommended by the CDC.