Your risk of meningitis can be substantially decreased by taking both practical and medical approaches. All of this, importantly, starts with vaccination, which can protect you from the most common causes. Keeping up good hygiene habits and limiting exposure to or the sharing of items with someone with meningitis are also essential, since most cases of meningitis are infectious.
The infections that cause meningitis are spread by coughing, sneezing, kissing, and touching contaminated objects. While it is impossible to completely avoid contact with contaminated fluids that are spread this way, you can try to avoid getting "sprayed" whenever possible.
Vaccination
There are vaccines that can help prevent the most common causes of meningitis. Unfortunately, vaccines for certain causes of meningitis, such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, are not available.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine: The Hib vaccine protects young children against pneumonia, bacteremia (a blood infection), epiglottitis, and some other infections that are caused by the shot's namesake bacteria. Children routinely start getting the Hib vaccine when they are 2 months old, ending with a booster dose when they are 12 to 15 months old.
Meningococcal vaccines prevent many Neisseria meningitides infections.
MenHibrix combines a vaccine for both Hib and meningococcal groups C and Y for certain high-risk infants who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease.
Pneumococcal (Prevnar) prevents many Streptococcus pneumoniae infections and is recommended for infants age 2, 4 and 6 months, and again at 12-15 months.
Mumps vaccine: Two doses are recommended for children-one between12 to 15 months of age and another between ages 4 to 6. The mumps vaccine is given as part of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or the measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccine.
Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is recommended between ages 12 to 15 months and again between ages 4 to 6.