Incidence of Meningococcal Disease Among the College-Aged

Concern has been raised about an increased risk of meningococcal disease among college-age students living in dormitories. A quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) was licensed in the U.S. in 2005, and two subsequent serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines were licensed in 2014 and 2015 for individuals aged 16 to 23 years. However, limited awareness of the vaccines has been documented among parents and even some providers.

Using national surveillance data, researchers determined the incidence of meningococcal disease among individuals in the U.S. aged 18 to 24 years and calculated the relative risk in college students versus others. Between 2014 and 2016, 166 cases occurred in this age group, translating to an average annua…