How can one prevent meningitis?

  • Q: I am planning a trip to China. Am I at risk for meningitis? How can I prevent it?
  • A: Bacterial and viral meningitis are the two main types of meningitis. Viral meningitis can be caused by the following viruses: Mumps, Herpes simplex type 2 virus (genital herpes), and Varicella zoster virus (chicken pox or shingles virus). Bacterial meningitis can be caused by the following: Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), Streptococcus pneumonia, and Haemophilus influenza type B. There are risk factors that make people more susceptible to acquiring meningitis. These risk factors include people with weakened immune systems, child care providers, pregnant women, and college students or people living in close proximity to each other. If you are traveling aboard to a country that puts you at higher risk for contracting meningitis, your doctor might recommend that you get the meningitis vaccine at least one week before travel. The CDC prefers the newest of two meningitis vaccines available known as Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4). The as Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) only protects people against bacterial meningitis and is approved for persons aged 2 to 55 years old. Jennifer Carey, RPh, PharmD
This question was answered on July 22, 2011.


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