Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


Vaccine Safety


Section Navigation
			
			CDC Home








Meningococcal Vaccines										Related Pages
										On This Page
			Available VaccinesManufacturer Package InsertsCommon Side EffectsA Closer Look at the Safety DataHow CDC Monitors Vaccine SafetyRelated Scientific Articles
		
Safety InformationAbout Meningococcal DiseaseMeningococcal disease can refer to any illness that is caused by a type of bacteria called *Neisseria meningitidis*, also known as meningococcus. These illnesses are often severe and can be deadly. They include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream infections (bacteremia or septicemia).
There are 6 serogroups (a group of bacteria that are closely related) of *N. meningitidis* that cause most meningococcal disease in the world. They are referred to as serogroups A, B, C, W, X, and Y. These bacteria spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (like spit). This can occur when living in close quarters, sharing food or beverages, or kissing.
*N. meningitidis* is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children ages 2 through 18 years in the United States. There are safe and effective vaccines that can protect against meningococcal disease.
Learn more about meningococcal disease.Vaccine Information StatementsVaccine Information Statements (VISs) are information sheets produced by CDC that explain both the benefits and risks of a vaccine.
MenACWY
Meningococcal ACWY vaccine for adolescents and specific populations.
MenB
Meningococcal B vaccine for adolescents and adults of specific populations.Available Vaccines
There are two types of vaccines available in the United States that can safely prevent meningococcal disease. They are (1) quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccines and (2) serogroup B meningococcal or MenB vaccines.
**MenACWY vaccine**protects against meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y.
**MenB vaccine** protects against meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B.Who Should Get MenACWY Vaccine
CDC recommends adolescents receive two doses of MenACWY vaccine:
First dose given to 11- or 12-year-olds
Second (booster) dose given to 16-year-oldsOther than adolescents, MenACWY vaccine is recommended for anyone 2 months of age or older who:
Is at risk because of a serogroup A, C, W, or Y meningococcal disease outbreak
Has HIV
Has had their spleen damaged or removed, including people with sickle cell disease
Has a rare immune condition called persistent complement component deficiency
Is taking a complement inhibitor drug, such as eculizumab (brand name: Soliris®) or ravulizumab (brand name: Ultomiris®)
Is a microbiologist who routinely works with isolates of *meningitidis*
Is living in or traveling to a part of the world where meningococcal disease epidemics occur frequently. Areas with highest incidence include a region of sub-Saharan Africa, shown on this map, that extends laterally all the way from Senegal to Ethiopia
Is a college freshman living in a residence hall who has not been completely vaccinated with MenACWY vaccine
Is a U.S. military recruit.
Talk with your healthcare provider about vaccines.
They can answer questions and offer advice based on your specific health needs.
Who Should Get MenB Vaccine
Teens and young adults (16 through 23 years old) may also get a MenB vaccine. The preferred ages for MenB vaccination are 16 through 18 years old. Multiple doses of the same brand are needed for best protection. Younger children and adults usually do not need MenB vaccines. However, CDC recommends MenB vaccine for anyone 10 years or older who:
Is at risk because of serogroup meningococcal B disease outbreak
Had their spleen damaged or removed, including people with sickle cell disease
Has a rare immune condition called persistent complement component deficiency
Is taking a complement inhibitor drug, such as eculizumab (brand name: Soliris®) or ravulizumab (brand name: Ultomiris®)
Is a microbiologist who routinely works with isolates of *meningitidis*For more information, see Who should get meningococcal vaccination.Child and Adult Immunization Schedules
Get CDC’s official recommended immunization schedules for children, adolescents, and adults.Top of PageManufacturer Package Inserts
Open All Close All
MenACWY Vaccines
	Menactra [PDF – 43 Pages]: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this vaccine in 2005. Menactra® is approved for people aged 9 months through 55 years to protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y.
Menveo [PDF – 33 Pages]: FDA approved this vaccine in 2010. Menveo® is approved for people aged 2 months through 55 years of age to protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y.
MenQuadfi [PDF – 22 Pages]: FDA approved this vaccine in 2020. MenQuadfiTM is approved for people ages 2 years and older to protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y.MenB Vaccines
	Trumenba [PDF – 18 Pages]: FDA approved this vaccine in 2014. Trumenba® is approved for people ages 10 through 25 years to protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B.
Bexsero [PDF – 13 Pages]: FDA approved this vaccine in 2015. Bexsero is approved for people ages 10 through 25 years to protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B.Top of PageCommon Side Effects
MenACWY and MenB vaccines are safe and effective at preventing meningococcal disease. Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. The most common side effects are usually mild and go away on their own.Important!

**Severe allergic reactions following vaccination are rare, but can be life threatening.** 
Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness.
**If such reactions occur, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the nearest hospital.**MenACWY Vaccine**Common Side Effects**
Soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given
Muscle pain
Headache
Feeling tired (fatigue)Most side effects are mild to moderate and last from 1 to 3 days.
**Who Should Not Get MenACWY Vaccine**
A person should talk with their healthcare provider before getting a MenACWY vaccine if they:
Had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of MenACWY vaccine
Had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of a diphtheria toxoid-, CRM197-, or tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (e.g., Menactra, Menveo, Menquadfi, or any DTaP vaccine)
Have any severe life-threatening allergiesIn some cases, the healthcare provider may decide to postpone MenACWY vaccination to a future visit.
People with minor illnesses (such as a cold) may be vaccinated.
People who are moderately or severely ill should wait until they recover before getting a MenACWY vaccine.MenB Vaccine**Common Side Effects**
Soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given
Headache
Feeling tired (fatigue)
Muscle or joint pain
FeverMost side effects are mild to moderate and last from 1 to 3 days.
**Who Should Not Get MenB Vaccine**
MenB vaccines should not be given to anyone younger than 10 years of age.
A person should talk with their healthcare provider before getting a MenB vaccine if they:
Had an allergic reaction after a previous dose of MenB vaccine
Have any severe, life-threatening allergies
Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Have a latex allergy (precaution for Bexsero)In some cases, the healthcare provider may decide to postpone MenB vaccination to a future visit.
People with minor illnesses (such as a cold) may be vaccinated.
People who are moderately or severely ill should wait until they recover before getting a MenB vaccine.More information about contraindications and precautions.Top of PageReport Possible Adverse Events To VAERSThe Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is an early warning system, co-managed by CDC and FDA, that monitors for potential vaccine safety problems.
Healthcare providers and vaccine manufacturers are required by law to report certain adverse events following vaccination to VAERS; patients and caregivers can also submit reports.
For more information, see Report an Adverse Event to VAERS.
Top of PageMore InformationMeningococcal Vaccination: What Everyone Should KnowWhat everyone should know about meningococcal vaccines.Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?Some people should not get certain vaccines or should wait before getting them. Read the CDC guidelines for each vaccine.Meningococcal Vaccines – ACIP Recommendations and GuidanceOfficial guidance on meningococcal vaccines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).Meningococcal Vaccination: Information for Healthcare ProfessionalsInformation for healthcare professionals on meningococcal  vaccines.Top of PageA Closer Look at the Safety Data**Which adverse events are considered “serious?”**
By the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21, an adverse event is defined as serious if it involves any of the following outcomes:
Death
A life-threatening adverse event
A persistent or significant disability or incapacity
A congenital anomaly or birth defect
Hospitalization, or prolongation of existing hospitalizationLearn more about adverse events.
Findings from vaccine safety monitoring systems and scientific studies have shown that MenACWY and MenB vaccines have a favorable safety profile—the body of scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports their safety.
**Menactra Safety Data**
After Menactra (MenACWY vaccine) was licensed for use in 2005, there were reports submitted to VAERS that suggested a potential for an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following Menactra vaccination.
GBS is a rare disorder where the body’s immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. While the cause is not fully understood, the syndrome often follows infection with a virus or bacteria. Learn more about GBS.
The vaccine manufacturers changed the package insert for Menactra to identify a history of GBS as a precaution to vaccination. Subsequently, this precaution was added to other MenACWY vaccines.
Following the VAERS findings, two large safety studies were done to evaluate the risk of GBS after Menactra vaccination. The two studies combined found that the risk for GBS after Menactra vaccination was not increased over the usual (non-vaccine related) GBS rate among people ages 11 to 21 years.
Based on these studies, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) **no longer considers a history of GBS to be a contraindication nor precaution for meningococcal vaccination**.
**Source:**No risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome found after meningococcal conjugate vaccination in two large cohort studies [Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2012]Top of PageHow CDC Monitors Vaccine Safety
CDC and FDA monitor the safety of vaccines after they are approved or authorized. If a problem is found with a vaccine, CDC and FDA will inform health officials, health care providers, and the public.
CDC uses 3 systems to monitor vaccine safety:
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): an early warning system, co-managed by CDC and FDA, to monitor for potential vaccine safety problems. Anyone can report possible vaccine side effects to VAERS.
The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD): a collaboration between CDC and 13 healthcare organizations that conducts vaccine safety monitoring and research.
The Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Project: a partnership between CDC and several medical research centers that provides expert consultation and conducts clinical research on vaccine-associated health risks.
Top of PageRelated Scientific Articles
Duffy J, Marquez P, Dores GM, Ng C, Su J, Cano M, Perez-Vilar S. Safety surveillance of bivalent meningococcal group B vaccine, Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2014-2018 *Open Forum Infect Dis.* 2020 Oct 27;7(12):ofaa516. Epub 2020 Dec.
Mbaeyi SA, Bozio CH, Duffy J, Rubin LG, Hariri S, Stephen DS, MacNeil JR. Meningococcal Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2020 *MMWR Recomm Rep.* 2020 Sep 25;69(No. RR-9):1-41.
Myers TR, McNeil MM, Ng CS, Li R, Marquez PL, Moro PL, Omer SB, Cano MV. Adverse events following quadrivalent meningococcal diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine (Menactra®) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2005-2016 *Vaccine.* 2020 Sep 11;38(40):6291-8. Epub 2020 Jul 31.
Li R, Weintraub E, McNeil MM, Kulldorff M, Lewis EM, Nelson J, Xu S, Qian L, Klein NP, Destefano F. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine safety surveillance in the Vaccine Safety Datalink using a tree-temporal scan data mining method *Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf.* 2018 Apr;27(4):391-7. Epub 2018 Feb 15.
Myers TR, McNeil MM. Current safety issues with quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines *Hum Vaccin Immunother.* 2018 May 4;14(5):1175-8. Epub 2017 Nov 8.
Duffy J, Johnsen P, Ferris M, Miller M, Leighton K, McGilvray M, McNamara L, Breakwell L, Yu Y, Bhavsar T, Briere E, Patel M. Safety of a meningococcal group B vaccine used in response to two university outbreaks. *J Am Coll Health.* Aug-Sep 2017;65(6):380-8. Epub 2017 May 8.
Myers TR, McNeil MM, Ng CS, Li R, Lewis PW, Cano MV. Adverse events following quadrivalent meningococcal CRM-conjugate vaccine (Menveo®) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2010-2015. *Vaccine.* 2017 Mar 27;35(14):1758-63. Epub 2017 Mar 3.
Su JR, Miller ER, Duffy J, Baer BM, Cano MV. Notes from the Field: Administration Error Involving a Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine—United States, March 1, 2010-September 22, 2015. *MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep*. 2016 Feb 19;65(6):161-2.
Yih WK, Weintraub E, Kulldorff M. No risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome found after meningococcal conjugate vaccination in two large cohort studies *Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf*. 2012 Dec;21(12):1359-60.
Velentgas P, Amato AA, Bohn RL, Chan KA, Cochrane T, Funch DP, Dashevsky I, Duddy AL, Gladowski P, Greenberg SA, Kramer JM, McMahill-Walraven C, Nakasato C, Spettell CM, Syat BL, Wahl PM, Walker AM, Zhang F, Brown JS, Platt R. Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after meningococcal conjugate vaccination *Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf*. 2012 Dec;21(12):1350-8. Epub 2012 Jul 16.
CDC. Update: Guillain-Barré syndrome among recipients of Menactra meningococcal conjugate vaccine – United States, June 2005-September 2006. *MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.* 2006 Oct 20;55(41):1120-4.
CDC. Update: Guillain-Barré syndrome among recipients of Menactra meningococcal conjugate vaccine – United States, October 2005-February 2006. *MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.* 2006 Apr 7;55(13):364-6.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Guillain-Barré Syndrome among recipients of Menactra meningococcal conjugate vaccine- United States, June-July 2005. *MMWR*. 2005 Oct 6:54(Dispatch);1-3.Top of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  September 23, 2021						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeVaccine Safety
Safety Information by Vaccineplus icon
Chickenpox (Varicella) Vaccines
COVID-19 Vaccines
Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis Vaccines
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Vaccines
Hepatitis A Vaccines
Hepatitis B Vaccines
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccineplus icon
Questions about HPV Vaccine Safety
Influenza (Flu) Vaccines
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccinesplus icon
MMR Safety Studies
Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) Vaccinesplus icon
VSD MMRV Safety Study
MMRV Safety Studies
MMRV and Febrile Seizures
Meningococcal Vaccines
Mpox Vaccines
Pneumococcal Vaccines
Polio Vaccine
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine
Rotavirus Vaccine
Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccines
Smallpox Vaccines
Questions and Concernsplus icon
Adjuvants
Autismplus icon
CDC Statement: 2004 Pediatrics Paper on MMR and Autism
Fainting after Vaccination
Febrile Seizures
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Multiple Vaccinations at Once
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Thimerosalplus icon
CDC Study (2010 ) on Thimerosal and Risk of Autism
Thimerosal FAQs
Related Scientific Articles
Infant and Environmental Exposures to Thimerosal 2007 Study
Timeline: Thimerosal in Vaccines
Vaccines During Pregnancy FAQs
FAQs about Vaccine Recalls
Historical Vaccine Safety Concernsplus icon
GBS and Menactra Vaccine FAQs
Gardasil Vaccine Recall (2013) FAQs
Hep B and Multiple Sclerosis FAQs
Hib Vaccine Recall (2007) Summary
Narcolepsy Following Pandemrix Influenza Vaccination in Europe
Information for Healthcare Providersplus icon
Talking to Patients About Vaccine Safety
Reporting Adverse Events
Resources for Healthcare Providers
Information for Parents and Caregiversplus icon
Vaccine Safety FAQs
Researchplus icon
Publications
Partner Reports on Vaccine Safety
ISO Scientific Agenda
Ensuring Safetyplus icon
Overview, History, and How It Works
Side Effects and Adverse Events
Vaccine Safety Monitoringplus icon
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
CISAplus icon
CISA Resources for Healthcare Professionals
Evaluation
Clinical Research Studies
Historical Background 2001-12
Publications
Technical Reports
Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD)plus icon
Accessing Data from Vaccine Safety Datalink
Data Sharing Guidelines
Vaccine Safety Datalink Publications
V-safe
V-safe Publications
Emergency Preparedness
Vaccine Safety Partners
About ISO To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue