Why are international students at risk of Meningococcal Meningitis?

College freshmen, particularly those who live in dormitories, are at modestly increased risk
for meningococcal disease relative to other persons their age.

What is Meningococcal Meningitis?

Meningococcal meningitis caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis has the potential to cause large epidemics. 2

This disease can affect anyone, anywhere in the world. 3,4
One in ten people develop this disease, die from it. 3,5
It can lead to severe complications like deafness, loss of limbs or even death. 3,5

Who is at risk of Meningococcal Meningitis?

There remains a notable disease incidence peak among individuals aged 18-19 years, with college students at increased risk of the disease relative to non-college students.6
Between 2007 and 2017, one in five colleges in the US experienced meningococcal disease outbreak at their own or a nearby institution.6

College Students and
Meningococcal Vaccine

Protect yourself from life-threatening meningitis. Talk to your doctor about vaccination against meningococcal meningitis, especially if you are planning to go to the US for higher education. Many colleges in the US have made the meningitis vaccine mandatory. Please find the MenACWY vaccine mandates for colleges and universities here:

Download PDF
State What types of institutions? Who is covered? Proof of Vaccination or waiver Required? Implementation Date
Colorado All colleges and universities All incoming freshmen residing on campus Yes 7/1/2005
Connecticut All colleges and universities All incoming freshmen residing on campus Yes 9/1/2002
Delaware All with on-campus housing All incoming students Yes within 5 yrs. of enrollment 1/1/2017
Florida All Colleges and Universities All students residing on campus Yes 1/1/2003
Georgia University System All incoming students residing on campus or in fraternity/sorority houses Yes 7/1/2015
Hawaii All post-secondary institutions First year students living in on-campus housing Yes 7/1/2020
Illinois Public universities only All incoming students under 21 years of age Yes 8/1/2016
Indiana Public colleges and universities All incoming students Yes 7/1/2018
Kansas All with on-campus housing All incoming students residing on campus Yes 7/1/2007
Louisiana All colleges and universities All on-campus students Yes Fall 2006
Maryland All colleges and universities All incoming students residing on-campus Yes 6/1/2000
Massachusetts All colleges and universities Full time health science residential students Yes 9/1/2005
Missouri All public institutions All students residing on-campus Yes 7/1/2015
Nevada All colleges and universities All incoming freshmen less than 23 yrs Yes 9/1/2017
New Jersey All colleges and universities All incoming students Yes 6/15/2020
New York All colleges and universities All students with 6 sem hrs or 4 qtr hrs Yes SY 2003-04
North Dakota University system All incoming freshmen less than 23 yrs. and residing in campus housing Yes Fall 2012
Oklahoma All colleges and universities All incoming students residing in campus housing Yes SY 2004-05
Pennsylvania All colleges and universities All students residing in dorm or housing unit Yes 8/30/2002
Rhode Island All colleges and universities All incoming students Yes 8/1/2015
Tennessee Public universities All incoming first year students less than 22 yrs. residing on campus Yes 2013
Texas All colleges and universities All incoming students Yes, within 5 years of enrollment 1/14/2019
Vermont All colleges and universities All first year students residing on-campus Yes 8/8/2019
Virginia All 4 years public institutions All incoming full time students Yes 9/1/2001
Other states* NA NA NA NA

Source: https://www.immunize.org/laws/menin.asp
*Other States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Dist. of Columbia, Idaho, Lowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Talk to your Doctor Today

To know more about Meningococcal Vaccination before your travel

References:

*MenACWY: Meningococcal vaccine against serogroup A, C, W & Y 


  1. https://www.immunize.org/laws/menin.asp Accessed on June 27, 2022
  1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/meningitis#tab=tab_1. Accessed on June 27, 2022.
  1. WHO. Meningococcal meningitis. Available at https://www.who.int/news-rooms/fact-sheets/detail/meningococcal-meningitis Accessed February 2021
  1. Meningitis Research Foundation. What are meningitis and septicaemia. Available at https://www.meningitis.org/meningitis
    /what-is-meningitis     Accessed February 2021
  1. CDC. Meningococcal disease- Diagnosis, Treatment, and Complications. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/
    about/
    diagnosis-treatment.html     Accessed February 2021
  1. Sarah Schaffer DeRooa, Rachel G. Torresb, and Linda Y.Fu HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNITHERAPEUTICS 2021, 4675-4688, Meningococcal disease and vaccination in college students

References:

*MenACWY: Meningococcal vaccine against serogroup A, C, W & Y 


  1. https://www.immunize.org/laws/menin.asp Accessed on June 27, 2022
  1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/meningitis#tab=tab_1. Accessed on June 27, 2022.
  1. WHO. Meningococcal meningitis. Available at https://www.who.int/news-rooms/fact-sheets/detail/meningococcal-meningitis Accessed February 2021
  1. Meningitis Research Foundation. What are meningitis and septicaemia. Available at https://www.meningitis.org/meningitis/what-is-meningitis Accessed February 2021
  1. CDC. Meningococcal disease- Diagnosis, Treatment, and Complications. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/
    diagnosis-treatment.html     Accessed February 2021
  1. Sarah Schaffer DeRooa, Rachel G. Torresb, and Linda Y.Fu HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNITHERAPEUTICS 2021, 4675-4688, Meningococcal disease and vaccination in college students

Disclaimer

A Public Awareness Initiative by Dr. Reddy’s. This communication does not substitute advice of a medical practitioner. Please consult your doctor for any medical advice. Although greatest possible care has been taken in preparation of this material, Dr Reddy’s shall not be liable to any person for contents of the same. Images appearing herein are for illustration purposes only.

The Products are distributed by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. in India under authorization from Sanofi Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd.” and “Sanofi Marks and Trademark belongs to Sanofi Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd

LMRC code: GGI-CO-A1-AQS-300101634-AM-F24-0641

  • Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., Greenlands, 7-1-27, Ameerpet, Hyderabad 500 016, Telangana, India
  • Sanofi Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd. Sanofi House, CTS No. 117-B, L&T Business Park, Saki Vihar Road, Powai, Mumbai - 400072, India

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions