Meningococcal disease is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection.
The disease most commonly is expressed as either meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or meningococcemia, a presence of bacteria in the blood. Meningococcal disease is caused by Neisseria meningitis, which has become the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in older children and young adults in the United States. Meningococcal disease strikes about 3,000 Americans each year, leading to death in approximately 10-15 percent of cases, which translates into 300 deaths annually. It is estimated that 100 to 125 cases of meningococcal disease occur annually on college campuses and five to 15 students die each year as a result. The disease can result in permanent brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability, amputation, kidney failure, or death.