When to get vaccinations against bacterial causes of meningitis

Meningitis is a disease that’s defined by inflammation in membranes — called meninges — near your brain and spinal cord. Data is limited, but current research suggests that the MenACWY vaccine becomes unreliable for protection after five years and the MenB vaccine after only one or two years.

Meningitis is a disease that’s defined by inflammation in membranes — called meninges — near your brain and spinal cord. It can have several different causes including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and some chemicals. 

Different vaccines can protect you from the different causes of meningitis. Each has its own schedule for when you should receive it. You’ll first get some of these vaccinations as an infant and others as a teenager — or even as an adult. Many require boosters at various points throughout your life — particularly if you’re in a high-risk category for getting meningitis.  

In general, vaccines are most helpful for protecting against bacterial meningitis, which is less common but more severe than viral meningitis. 

Meningococcal vaccines protect against the meningitis-causing bacteria N. meningitidis. Two vaccines are currently approved for use in the U.S. They’re called the MenACWY vaccine and the MenB vaccine.

The MenACWY vaccine is recommended for all young adults around the age of 11 or 12 years old — plus a booster shot at 16 years. Another meningococcal vaccine called MenB is recommended between the ages of 16 to 18. 

A good question to ask is: how long does the meningitis vaccine last? Even though both meningococcal vaccines produce an immune response, they lose effectiveness over time. 

Data is limited, but current research suggests that the MenACWY vaccine becomes unreliable for protection after five years and the MenB vaccine after only one or two years. This means that if enough time has passed, you’ll need to get a new vaccine — especially if you’re in a high-risk category. 

In addition, there are Pneumococcal vaccines that protect against S. pneumonae — another bacteria that can cause meningitis. The most common vaccine for this is PCV13, which is given in four doses at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 months, with the final dose between the ages of 12 and 15 months. If you start the vaccine at an older age then your doctor will need to figure out the best timeline for your doses. 

Healthy adults won’t require another dose of this vaccine. But you should talk to your doctor about getting another pneumococcal vaccine if you’re 65 years or older.   

There are also vaccines for other bacterial causes of meningitis, for example, Haemophilus influenzae serotype B (Hib). These will each have their own administration timelines, so talk to your doctor to find out which bacterial vaccines — and timelines — are right for you and your child.     

When to get vaccinations against viral causes of meningitis

Unfortunately, there isn’t a vaccine for the most common cause of viral meningitis — called non-polio enteroviruses. In rare cases, other kinds of viral infections can lead to meningitis. These viral infections have vaccines that are available in the U.S. They include: 

The vaccinations for these infections all have their own schedule for when you should get them — the most frequent being your yearly flu shot. Measles and mumps vaccinations are first completed around the age of six then need to be updated in adolescence and adulthood. Talk to your doctor to make sure that you’re up-to-date with your vaccinations.