National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Meningococcal Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Meningococcal Infections
Meningococci are a type of bacteria that cause serious infections. The most frequent is meningitis, which is an inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Meningococci can also cause other problems, including a serious bloodstream infection called sepsis.
Meningococcal infections can be spread from person to person. They are common in people living in close quarters, such as college students or military recruits.
In its early stages, you may have flu-like symptoms and a stiff neck. But the disease can progress quickly and can be fatal. Early diagnosis and treatment are extremely important. Treatment is with antibiotics. Since the infection spreads from person to person, family members may also need to be treated.
A vaccine can prevent meningococcal infections.
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Start Here
- Facts about Meningococcal Disease for Adults(National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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For You
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Overviews
- Meningococcal Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Blood Culture Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap)(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Meningococcal Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Meningococcal Disease: Signs and Symptoms(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Prevention/Screening
- Meningococcal Disease: Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Meningococcal Vaccines(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
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Related Issues
- Meningitis Myths and Facts for Consumers(National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)
- Meningococcal Disease: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Meningococcal Disease: Risk Factors(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Pictures & Photographs
- Meningococcus Disease Photos(Immunization Action Coalition)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningococcal Infections(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningococcal Infections
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Meningococcal Disease Glossary of Terms(National Foundation for Infectious Diseases) - PDF
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Organizations
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Children
- Meningococcal Infections(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
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Teenagers
- Meningococcal Disease: Community Settings As a Risk Factor(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Meningococcal Disease: Information for Teens and College Students(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Meningococcal Vaccine: A Guide for Teens(Children's Hospital Boston)
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Women
- Meningococcal Disease (Bacterial Meningitis) Vaccine and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
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Patient Handouts
- Meningitis - meningococcal
- Also available in Spanish
- Meningococcemia
- Also available in Spanish
- Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Meningococcal Infections - Multiple Languages
