Symptoms of meningococcal disease can start suddenly and include:

• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Confusion or drowsiness

When the infection is in the blood, people may also have:

• Cold hand and feet
• Fast breathing
• A dark purple rash

Meningoccal disease can cause:

• Brain damage or hearing loss
• Loss of arms and legs (amputation)
• Death (about 1 in 10 people with the disease will die, even with treatment)

The bacteria are spread through contact with an infected person’s saliva (spit) or mucus. This can happen from coughing, kissing, or sharing drinks or utensils.

Meningococcal disease is not as easy to catch as a cold or flu, but it spreads easily among people who live close together, such as college students, roommates, or people in the military.

The best way to prevent meningococcal disease is to get vaccinated. You can also protect yourself by:

• Not sharing drinks, eating utensils, lip balm, or anything that touches someone’s mouth
• Washing your hands often
• Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze

There are three kinds of meningococcal vaccines:

• MenACWY vaccine protects against 4 types of meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W, and Y).
• MenB vaccine protects against type B.
• MenABCWY vaccine protects against all 5 types (A, B, C, W, and Y).

Routine immunization recommendations:

• Preteens (11-12 years old) should get one dose of MenACWY vaccine.
• Teens (16 years old) should get a MenACWY booster dose.
• Young adults (16-23 years old) may also get the MenB vaccine, preferably at ages 16-18. Ask your healthcare provider if it’s right for you.

Other people at high risk for meningitis may also receive meningococcal vaccines. This includes people with functional or anatomic asplenia, complement component deficiencies or complement inhibitor use, and increased risk for exposure, as well as those who are exposed during a meningitis outbreak.

Please click to view the Communicable Disease dashboard with local meningococcal disease data available in English and Spanish.

United States meningococcal disease data is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.

Medical providers must report suspected cases of meningococcal disease to the County of Monterey Communicable Disease Unit. Reports should be made by phone within one business day to the Communicable Disease Unit:

• Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm: 831-755-4521
• Holidays and after normal business hours: 831-755-5100 and ask for the Hazardous Materials Team. They will connect you with the on-call public health professional.

Please also contact the County of Monterey Public Health Laboratory at 831-755-4516 to arrange for specimens to collected and sent to the Public Health Laboratory for PCR testing and genomic sequencing.

CDPH Guidance:

•  Meningococcal Disease Specimen Collection Guidance