Current Epidemiology and Trends in Meningococcal Disease-United States, 1996-2015

In 2005, meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) was recommended for routine use among adolescents aged 11-18 years. This report describes the epidemiologic features of meningococcal disease and trends in meningococcal disease incidence following MenACWY introduction in the United States. Incidence rates and case-fatality ratios by age group and serogroup during 2006-2015 were calculated using data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS); changes in incidence during this time were evaluated. Additionally, 20-year trends (1996-2015) in age- and race-standardized incidence were examined using data from Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs). During the years 2006-2015, 7,924 cases of meningococcal disease were reported to NNDSS, resulting in an average annual incidence of 0.26 cases per 100,000 population; 14.9% of cases were fatal. Among cases with serogroup information, 2,290 (35.8%) were serogroup B, 1,827 (28.5%) were serogroup Y, 1,457 (22.8%) were serogroup C, 436 (6.8%) were serogroup W, and 392 (6.1%) were other serogroups. The incidence of serogroups A, C, W, and Y combined declined 76% among persons aged 11-20 years from 2006-2010 to 2011-2015 (p