Who is most at risk of catching meningitis?
Because very close contact is needed to pass on the infection, the contacts who are at most risk of catching the infection from another person are the ‘kissing contacts’. This includes family members, girlfriends and boyfriends. Just being in the same room as another person with meningitis is not usually considered to be very risky, except where this contact has lasted many hours, such as sleeping in the same room overnight. Putting your face close to a friend to catch what they are saying in a noisy disco or bar may also allow the transfer of the bacteria. Workmates and classmates are not usually at increased risk of infection.
