Meningococcal Disease Rises as Teen Vaccination Declines

U.S. cases of meningococcal disease have increased sharply since 2021 and now exceed pre-pandemic levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2024, 503 confirmed and probable cases were reported based on preliminary data. This is the largest number of U.S. meningococcal disease cases reported since 2013.

NBC News reported that doctors warned deaths from this rare and serious bacterial infection may increase if adolescent vaccination rates decline. Following the CDC’s 2005 recommendation for adolescent immunization, U.S. cases dropped by 90%. In 2011, the CDC recommended a booster for 16-year-olds to extend protection into young adulthood.

Since 2021, cases have increased due to bacterial mutations and lower vaccination rates, particularly among teens who have not received the recommended booster dose.

Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC no longer recommends a meningitis vaccine for all adolescents. The vaccine and booster protect against the most common types of the infection in the U.S.

The new guidance recommends the vaccine for high-risk groups. However, parents can still request vaccination for their children through “shared clinical decision making.”

Vaccination remains important not because the disease is widespread—about 3,000 U.S. cases occur annually—but because the infection is severe and progresses rapidly, according to doctors interviewed by NBC. Per the CDC, health departments respond to every case to implement control measures to limit transmission.

Bacterial meningitis can advance rapidly, leading to brain swelling, gangrene, sepsis, and death within 24 hours. Among survivors, up to 20% experience lifelong disabilities or complications, such as limb amputation, hearing loss, or neurological issues.