The age range for people to receive immunizations are from 2 years up to 24 years of age. The immunization is not recommended for people who are not in these areas for the following reasons. First of all, the endemic cases of meningitis are typically seen in children less than 2 years of age for whom the immunization is not beneficial. Additionally, almost 50 percent of serogroups of this bacteria that cause meningitis have no currently available immunizations. Children over 24 years of age are typically not in settings where this infection is spread quickly.
Any injection has a potential of causing side effects.
This is a polysaccharide vaccination that is typically well tolerated and whose side effects are typically minimal. The side effects can include fever of 101 - 102 degrees, and redness or pain at the site of the injection. It is currently thought that some of the serogroups that are included in the immunization may not have a good immune response on subsequent doses of immunization. However, most research suggests this is not the case. The current vaccine is successful in creating an immune response in about 80-90 percent of individuals receiving the vaccination.