Is meningococcal disease contagious?
Yes, meningococcal disease is contagious, but only when a person has been in very close contact with a person who becomes sick, such as a household member or a girlfriend or boyfriend. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). The bacteria are ot spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningococcal disease has been. Persons who have been in close contact with a person who develops meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. Meningococcal disease is a reportable disease and the local health department will work with the case’s doctor and family to determine who should be treated with preventive antibiotics. Are there vaccines that protect against meningococcal disease? Yes, there are vaccines against some serogroups of N. meningitidis. There are two vaccines against N. meningitidis available in the U.S. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccin
