Carriage

Humans are the only host for the meningococcus and can become temporarily colonised by Neisseria meningitidis in the upper nasopharyngeal tract in 8 to 25% of cases.

Carriage can last from days to months, with disease occasionally occurring 1 to 14 days after colonisation.

It is not completely understood how being colonised by N. meningitidis can lead to the onset of disease. Yet, colonisation is one of the steps for the development of invasive disease as well as for transmission.

Anatomie des voies respiratoires supérieures

Transmission

Neisseria meningitidis is transmitted through droplets, from asymptomatic or symptomatic carriers.

Risk population

Carriage is high in adolescents and young adults, as they tend to have closer contact behaviour. Although the incidence of disease is highest in infants, colonisation levels are low in this age group as well as in the elderly population.

Crowded places, smoking, drinking and kissing increase the risk of transmission of meningococci.

Fortunately, current conjugate vaccines are able to reduce carriage and the incidence of invasive disease.

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Transmission

Risk population

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