What is the role of vaccines in preventing invasive meningococcal disease in adolescents and certain high-risk groups?

• A. Adolescents and certain high-risk adults.
• B. Healthy adults under 30 only.
• C. Infants under 12 months.
• D. No additional groups beyond adolescents.

Answer: (A)

Vaccination targets those at the highest risk of serious meningococcal disease, primarily adolescents and certain high‑risk adults. Adolescents are a key focus because they have higher carriage rates and close-contact environments (like dorms and social gatherings) that facilitate spread, and vaccines given around 11–12 years old with a booster around 16 protect them during this period of elevated risk. In addition, people with specific medical conditions that markedly increase their risk—such as functional or anatomical loss of the spleen and persistent deficiencies in the complement pathway, as well as some immunocompromised individuals, travelers to outbreak areas, or those with particular occupational exposure—are advised to be vaccinated to prevent invasive disease. Other groups, like healthy adults under 30 or infants, do not comprise the routine target population for this preventive strategy, though exceptions exist for certain high‑risk scenarios. So the role of vaccines here is to prevent invasive meningococcal disease in adolescents and in those high‑risk adults who stand to benefit most.