Meningococcal vaccination: a discussion with all adolescents, whether college-bound or not

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescents and young adults are the primary reservoirs and transmitters of meningococci. In the US, meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) disease predominates over A, C, W, and Y; ACIP-recommended MenACWY and MenB vaccines are available. We investigated invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) burden and vaccination among non-college adolescents. Methods: IMD incidence by college attendance status and vaccination rates were analyzed using publicly available surveillance data. Results: 64/158 IMD cases occurred in non-college 18–24-year-olds during 2015–2017. Among non-college cases, the MenACWY vaccination rates were 38%–57% vs 90%–100% among college cases when vaccination status was known; MenB vaccination was 0% vs 0%–7%, respectively. In 2018, 17.2% of all 17-year-olds received ≥1 dose of multidose MenB vaccines; ≤50% completed the series. Conclusion: Meningococcal vaccination is emphasized for college-bound adolescents, but non-college adolescents bear much of the disease burden. Low vaccine receipt preserves their risk, underscoring the need to protect all adolescents through vaccination.