Key points
- ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø recommends meningococcal vaccination for babies and children at increased risk for meningococcal disease.
- Talk to a healthcare or vaccine provider about what is best for your child's specific situation.
Vaccines your child may need
There are 3 types of meningococcal vaccines used in the United States:
- Meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccines
- Ages: 2 months or older
- Ages: 2 months or older
- Serogroup B meningococcal or MenB vaccines
- Ages: 10 years or older
- Ages: 10 years or older
- Pentavalent or MenABCWY vaccine
- Ages: 10 years or older
- Ages: 10 years or older
Keep Reading:
Types of Meningococcal Vaccines
Recommendations by vaccine type
ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø may recommend one or more types of meningococcal vaccines for children depending on why they're at increased risk.
MenACWY and MenB vaccines
ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø recommends both MenACWY and MenB vaccines for children with the following risk factors:
- A complement component deficiency
- Functional or anatomic asplenia
- An inhibited complement system due to receiving certain medicines
MenABCWY vaccine as an option
People 10 years and older who are getting MenACWY and MenB vaccines at the same visit can receive MenABCWY vaccine instead.
MenACWY vaccines only
ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø recommends MenACWY vaccines for babies and children with the following risk factors:
- HIV
- Part of a population at increased risk during an outbreakA
- Living or traveling to certain places or settings
- where disease (serogroup A, C, W, or Y) is common
- where disease (serogroup A, C, W, or Y) is common
MenB vaccines only
ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø recommends MenB vaccines for children identified as part of a population at increased risk during serogroup B outbreaks.
Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Division of Bacterial Diseases
- Specifically, an outbreak involving serogroup A, C, W, or Y