Immunization against some of the organisms that can cause meningitis is the most effective way to prevent the illness. Some causes of meningitis that can be prevented by vaccines include:

• Measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (What is a PDF document?) is routinely given to children between 12 months and 15 months of age and again at 4 to 6 years of age.
• Varicella (chickenpox) virus. Two doses of the chickenpox vaccine (What is a PDF document?) are recommended for children, the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years old. Older children, teens, and adults who have not had chickenpox can also get immunized.
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) virus. Hib vaccine (What is a PDF document?) is recommended for all children between 2 months and 5 years of age and anyone older than 5 who has a medical condition such as sickle cell disease or an impaired immune system.
• Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Immunizations against these bacteria are recommended for people who have medical conditions such as impaired immune systems or people who have had meningitis in the past. The meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) (What is a PDF document?) helps protect against certain strains of neisseria meningitidis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends this vaccine for adolescents and for college freshman living in dormitories. Adolescents should get this shot at age 11 or 12. Teens ages 13 to 18 who haven't had the shot should get it as soon as possible.⁶ This vaccine also may be given to others who may be at higher-than-normal risk, such as travelers to countries known to have outbreaks of meningitis, people without a spleen, and those with HIV. Routine vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (What is a PDF document?) is recommended for children age 2 and younger to help prevent infection from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

College students

Although college students' overall risk of meningitis from Neisseria meningitidis bacteria is low, freshmen, especially those who live in dormitories, have a moderately higher risk than other people their age.⁶ If you are a college freshman living in a dormitory, the CDC recommends the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4). College freshmen who do not live in dormitories may also be vaccinated to reduce their risk of infection.⁶

Cochlear implants

An association has been found between meningitis and cochlear implants for severe hearing loss. To help protect against meningitis from Streptococcus pneumoniae, experts recommend that people with cochlear implants get the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Also, some people with implants have ear infections before they get meningitis, so people with implants should receive prompt antibiotic treatment for ear infections.

Breast-feeding