Antibiotics for preventing meningococcal infections.

Meningococcal disease is a contagious bacterial disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis). Household contacts have the highest documented risk of the disease during the first seven days of a case being detected. Prophylaxis is, therefore, considered for those in close contact with people with a meningococcal infection and in populations with known high carriage rates as carriers are at increased risk of disease and may pose a risk of infection to others.