How is meningococcal meningitis spread?
Meningococcal disease is transmitted through the air via droplets of respiratory secretions and direct contact with an infected person. Direct contact, for these purposes, is defined as oral contact with shared items such as cigarettes, water bottles, musical instruments or drinking glasses or through intimate contact such as kissing.
Meningococcus is spread from one person to another by “sharing saliva.” Examples include: • Sharing eating utensils or drinking cups; • Kissing on the mouth; • Sharing a cigarette; and • Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Meningococcal meningitis can also spread in very crowded situations, including: • Daycares; • Barracks; or • Jails. Meningococcal meningitis is not spread by: • Being in the same room as a person who got meningitis (without “sharing saliva”), e.g., the same workplace or classroom; or • Knowing someone who knows a person who got meningococcal meningitis.
