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Bacterial Meningitis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and More

Preventing Bacterial Meningitis

Several forms of bacteria can cause a person to develop bacterial meningitis. This means that various vaccines are required to prevent it. Currently, there are vaccines for meningococcal, pneumococcal, and H. influenzae meningitis.

Meningococcal meningitis vaccine

As of right now, the CDC advises youngsters between the ages of 11 and 12 to have the meningococcal vaccine. A booster dose at age 16 is also necessary for the preteen vaccine.

Teens between the ages of 16 and 18 might have a follow-up meningococcal vaccination. While this vaccination is optional, the CDC advises teens who:

  • are receiving drugs called complement inhibitors
  • have a complement component deficiency, a rare immune disorder
  • possess a removed or damaged spleen
  • are susceptible to an epidemic of serogroup B meningococcal illness
  • have sickle cell disease.