Who Needs Meningococcal Vaccines? A Global Look at High-Risk Groups

Meningococcal disease, caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis, is a big deal. It's severe and can even be life-threatening. There are vaccines that protect against this, including ones that target the most common types like MenA, MenC, and MenW. These vaccines come in different forms, like the ones made with proteins or pieces of the bacteria's outer layer. Countries around the world have their own vaccination programs to protect people most at risk from meningococcal disease. Kids, teens, young adults, and older folks are usually at the top of the list. But there are other groups too, like people with weakened immune systems, students living in dorms, Indigenous populations, lab workers, soldiers, men who have sex with men, and travelers going to places where this disease is very common. In Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Brazil, and Turkey, different rules guide who should get these vaccines. For instance, in some places, college students get vaccinated because they're at higher risk. In others, it's military personnel who are prioritized. Experts think it's a good idea to have the same rules for everyone at risk, no matter where they live.