ALTHOUGH UNCOMMON, MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE MOVES FAST AND IS POTENTIALLY FATAL2
Watch the Meningococcal Disease Video
Meningococcal disease is an uncommon but serious bacterial infection caused by N. meningitidis.7
MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE STRIKES FAST
Symptoms of meningococcal disease progress rapidly and are often mistaken for the flu in early stages, but can lead to death within 24 hours in some patients.2,8 Please note that symptoms can vary in the order and timing of appearance and some may not appear at all. Symptoms may differ by age group.
TIME AFTER ONSET SYMPTOMS8,*
Headache, sore throat/coryza, leg pain, thirst, general aches, fever8
Decreased appetite, nausea/vomiting, leg pain, irritability8
Rash, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, neck stiffness, cold hands and feet, photophobia, abnormal skin color8
Confusion/delirium, unconsciousness, seizure,† death2,8,‡
*Hours expressed as medians, for patients 15-16 years of age.6
†Seizure was noted at a median of 26 hours.6
‡Even with appropriate treatment, the fatality rate is 10%-15% for patients with invasive meningococcal disease.2
Data were obtained from parents of test subjects via questionnaire (n=313) or interview with a study investigator (n=135). Parents were asked at what time of day their child’s symptoms began, as well as the time of appearance of predefined clinical features. Additional data were obtained from medical records for the course of illness before admission to the hospital in 448 children (≤16 years of age) with meningococcal disease (345 nonfatal cases; 103 fatal). Diagnosis was confirmed with microbiologic techniques in 83% of cases (n=373). The remainder of children (n=75) were probable cases.
SEROGROUPS C AND Y CAUSED ALMOST 2/3 OF ALL US MENINGOCOCCAL CASES IN PATIENTS AGED <1 to ≥65 YEARS9,§
§In patients aged <1 to ≥65 years from 2005-2014; N=867.
||Includes serogroup W-135 and serogroups unable to be identified.
MENVEO is a vaccine indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. MENVEO is approved for use in persons 2 months through 55 years of age. MENVEO does not prevent N. meningitidis serogroup B infections.