Prevention

Immunization against some of the organisms that can cause meningitis is the most effective way to prevent the illness. Some causes of meningitis that can be prevented by vaccines include:

• Measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine(What is a PDF document?) is routinely given to children between 12 months and 15 months of age and again at 4 to 6 years of age.
• Varicella (chickenpox) virus. Two doses of the chickenpox vaccine(What is a PDF document?) are recommended for children, the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years old. Older children, teens, and adults who have not had chickenpox can also get immunized.
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) virus. Hib vaccine(What is a PDF document?) is recommended for all children between 2 months and 5 years of age and anyone older than 5 who has a medical condition such as sickle cell disease or an impaired immune system.
• Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Immunizations against these bacteria are recommended for people who have medical conditions such as impaired immune systems or people who have had meningitis in the past. The meningococcal vaccine (MCV4)(What is a PDF document?) helps protect against certain strains of neisseria meningitidis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends this vaccine for adolescents and for college freshman living in dormitories. Adolescents should get this shot at age 11 or 12. Teens ages 13 to 18 who haven't had the shot should get it as soon as possible.⁶ This vaccine also may be given to others who may be at higher-than-normal risk, such as travelers to countries known to have outbreaks of meningitis, people without a spleen, and those with HIV. Routine vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)(What is a PDF document?) is recommended for children ages 2 and younger to help prevent infection from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

College students

Although college students' overall risk of meningitis from Neisseria meningitidis bacteria is low, freshmen, especially those who live in dormitories, have a moderately higher risk than other people their age.⁶ If you are a college freshman living in a dormitory, the CDC recommends the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4). College freshmen who do not live in dormitories may also be vaccinated to reduce their risk of infection.⁶

Cochlear implants

An association has been found between meningitis and cochlear implants for severe hearing loss. To help protect against meningitis from Streptococcus pneumoniae, experts recommend that people with cochlear implants get the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Also, some people with implants have ear infections before they get meningitis, so people with implants should receive prompt antibiotic treatment for ear infections.

Breast-feeding

Breast-feeding may protect children ages 2 to 5 months against meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria. But it is still important to give breast-fed babies the Hib vaccine.

For more information about immunizations, see the topic Immunizations.

Reduce your risk

You can take steps to reduce your risk of infection and prevent the spread of meningitis by:

• Avoiding people who have meningitis.
• Separating people with meningitis from other people in the home.
• Washing your hands often if you have meningitis or are caring for someone with meningitis. Wash your hands after using the toilet or helping a sick child use the toilet, after changing a sick baby's diaper, and after handling used bedsheets, towels, clothes, or personal items of a person who has meningitis.
• Avoiding insects and rodents that carry organisms that cause meningitis. If you live in or visit an area of the world where there are insects (such as mosquitoes and ticks) and rodents (such as mice and rats) that carry organisms that cause meningitis, take steps to avoid contact with them. For example, use insect repellent and keep all rodents out of your home and other buildings.

If you come in close contact with someone who has bacterial meningitis, taking antibiotics may keep you from getting the illness. For example, a person who has come in contact with the saliva or mucus of someone with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria may be given the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, or rifampin. Ciprofloxacin is not usually used in people younger than 16 years of age or in pregnant women. Rifampin also is not recommended for pregnant women.

If you have only casual contact with someone who has meningitis, for example at school or at work, you do not need to take antibiotics.