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Who is at risk?
Although meningococcal disease is infectious and can cause outbreaks, 97 out of every 100 cases are isolated, with no link to any other cases.
The meningococcal bacteria that cause meningitis and septicaemia are very common: at any time about one in ten people has them in their noses and throats without ever knowing they are there, and this is usually harmless. The bacteria are passed between individuals by close contact, e.g. kissing, sneezing or coughing.
Usually individuals have to be in very close or regular contact with someone for the bacteria to be transferred. Even when this happens, most people will not become ill because they have natural immunity to the meningococcal bacteria.
The bacteria cannot live longer than a few moments outside the human body, so they are not carried on items such as clothes, bedding, toys or dishes.
What is the risk to babies?
Most babies have some natural resistance to meningitis and septicaemia. Meningitis vaccines provide excellent protection against a number of causative agents; however, they do not yet provide protection against all of them.
What is the risk to children?
Children under five are most at risk of contracting meningitis and septicaemia. Fortunately, most have some natural resistance to meningococcal infection and vaccines provide excellent protection against some of the causative organisms of the disease.
Are you at risk if you are in contact with someone who has it or has had it?
Doctors treating the infection will make sure that anyone at particulary increased risk of contracting meningococcal disease is contacted and offered very strong antibiotics. This is to kill the bacteria that cause the disease and to stop it from spreading and causing more infection. The antibiotics are usually only given to people living in the same household as the patient, or those in frequent close proximity. When there have been two or more cases of meningococcal disease within a short period of time in a nursery, school, college or certain other groups, Public Health Officials may decide that antibiotics should be given to a wider range of contacts, usually to the particular class or school year affected.