Meningococcal disease is potentially dangerous because it is relatively rare and can be mistaken for other conditions. Understanding the characteristic signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease is critical and possibly lifesaving. A person may have symptoms suggestive of a minor cold or flu for a few days before experiencing a rapid progression to severe meningococcal disease. A rash, which may appear with severe meningococcal disease, may begin as a flat, red eruption, mainly on the arms and legs. It may then evolve into a rash of small spots that do not change with pressure.
New spots can form rapidly, even while the patient is being examined.
Development of immunity after immunization requires 7-10 days. Although protection probably persists in schoolchildren and adults for at least 3 years, the exact timing for a booster has not been determined. Adverse reactions to meningococcal vaccine are mild and infrequent, consisting primarily of redness and pain at the injection site that may last 1 to 2 days. Rarely, fever of short duration may occur. Entering college students who elect to decrease their risk for meningococcal disease.