Meningococcal Disease Travel Advice Guide

Meningococcal Disease is a rare, but potentially fatal, disease. If you plan to travel to Africa, you will be entering the regions of the world where this disease is most often transmitted. For short-trip travelers or long-trip travelers, such as expatriates or digital nomads, this guide is for you.

The African meningitis belt is the most common region where meningococcal outbreaks occur. However, outbreaks of this disease can occur anywhere in the world. It is crucial that you learn how to prevent this disease, such as which vaccine you should get before traveling and how it is spread.

To make your travels stress-free, we’ve created this guide to explain what the disease is, where it is most often found in the world, what you can do to prevent it, and which insurance options are available to you in the event you get sick away from home.

Traveling to Which Countries Puts a Person At a Higher Risk for Meningococcal Disease? 

In most of the world, the risk is relatively low for a traveler to become infected by Meningococcal Disease. However, if you are an expatriate, digital nomad, or other international travelers heading to the meningitis belt in Africa, you will have an increased risk.

The meningitis belt is a sub-Saharan stretch of land running east to west through the central part of Africa, where Meningococcal Disease is most often spread. It covers countries such as Chad, Niger, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Senegal.

Countries that have high epidemic risk for Meningococcal Disease include:

• Senegal
• Gambia
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guinea
• Mali
• Burkina Faso
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Cameroon
• Chad
• Central African Republic
• Sudan
• South Sudan
• Ethiopia

Countries with some risk for meningitis epidemics include:

• Senegal
• Mauritania
• Mali
• Niger
• Chad
• Sudan
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Rwanda
• Burundi
• Tanzania
• Central African Republic
• Cameroon
• Nigeria
• Benin
• Togo
• Ghana
• Cote d’Ivoire

If you are not traveling to any of these regions, but instead are traveling to Asia, the Far East, or the Pacific Islands, you will be entering regions where there is a higher risk for travelers to catch Japanese Encephalitis.

The Spread of Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal Disease is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a bacteria often found in the back of the nose and throat. This bacteria is contagious and spreads when an infected person shares saliva or spit with another person, such as through, sneezing, coughing or kissing.

The disease is not often caught through casual contact or by breathing the same air as someone infected. It is more difficult to spread than the common cold or flu.

About 1 in 10 people who have this disease are asymptomatic carriers. About 25% of adolescents and 5%-11% of adults carry Neisseria meningitidis. There are no known animal hosts.

Who is at the Most Risk of Catching Meningococcal Disease?

Those at the greatest risk of becoming infected with Meningococcal disease most likely have extended exposure to someone with the disease and/or have direct contact with the oral secretions of the said infected individual.

Your level of risk is also directly correlated to your destination and planned activities. Going to the meningitis belt or another region in the world with a current outbreak will increase your exposure. If you plan to spend prolonged time in crowds or in close proximity with an infected person, that will also increase your risk.

Some types of people/activities that will have increased risk include:

• Long-term travelers in close contact with locals for an extended time, particularly during an epidemic
• Backpackers
• Travelers to remote areas with limited medical care
• Pilgrims
• Seasonal workers
• Healthcare workers
• Crowds
• People living in the same household as someone with this disease, including family, friends, or roommates
• Anyone who has direct exposure to saliva and spit of an infected individuals, such as a romantic partner
• People age 30 and younger, with the highest rates of disease seen in children and teenagers at the age of 5-14
• People traveling to the meningitis belt countries
• Participating in the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia have seen outbreaks of this disease, as well as anyone who comes into contact with them

If you are an expat or digital nomad who plans to move the meningitis belt in Africa, or to tour there for an extended period of time, you will have an increased risk of being exposed to this disease.

MERS-CoV is another dangerous infection that may be transmitted to those traveling to or near Saudi Arabia, such as for the Hajj pilgrimage.

Meningococcal Disease Travel Restrictions

If you plan to participate in Saudi Arabia’s annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage, then you will be required to show proof you received the MenACWY vaccination. This vaccine protects against Meningococcal Disease. No other countries require the meningococcal vaccine to travel.

Meningococcal Disease Travel Vaccine

There are two types of vaccines for Meningococcal Disease available in the United States. It is recommended that travelers 2 months old or older traveling to the meningitis belt get vaccinated. These must be received 7-10 days before travel for the protective antibodies to develop.

The two types of vaccines are called MenACWY and MenB. These vaccines can be given as routine/well-visit vaccinations to all children and adults as preventative measures against contracting this disease. If you are traveling, you may want to consider getting a booster if it applies to you.

It is good practice to read the CDC’s vaccination recommendations about who gets this vaccine and who may not be able to get them.

These ages are not hard, set rules. The best vaccine for you will depend on your personal needs, situation, and health complications. Always consult your primary care provider before getting any vaccine.

Possible side effects of the MenACWY vaccine:

• Fever
• Pain or redness where you got the shot

Possible side effects of the MenB vaccine:

• Soreness, redness, or swelling where you got the shot
• Nausea
• Fever or chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Joint or muscle pain

More than 50% of people who get the MenB vaccine will have mild side effects, but they often improve by themselves within 3-7 days.

How to Avoid Meningococcal Disease While Traveling Abroad

Getting the Meningococcal vaccine is one of the best ways to avoid getting Meningococcal Disease while traveling globally. You can also protect yourself while abroad by avoiding local transportation and overcrowded areas, like an overflowing market, though this may not always be possible.

Ways to avoid getting the disease:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Avoid crowds
• Avoid public transportation
• Avoid direct contact with someone else’s saliva or spit
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow to prevent spreading your saliva
• Get vaccinated

What Happens if a Tourist Gets Sick Abroad With Meningococcal Disease?

If you get sick with Meningococcal Disease while away from your home country, you will want to visit a local healthcare facility immediately. Getting this disease is a medical emergency, and you must begin antibiotics immediately.

To get the best care possible, you will want to consider investing in travel insurance and/or international health insurance. Pacific Prime is the largest global insurance brokerage with excellent coverage to help you get the care you need, especially if you catch a dangerous disease like Meningococcal Disease.

Here are some of the different types of plans Pacific Prime has:

• International Health Insurance
• Family Health Insurance
• Maternity Health Insurance
• Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance
• Short-Term Health Insurance
• Corporate Health Insurance
• Individual Health Insurance
• Expat Health Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Global Health Insurance
• Hospitalization Insurance
• Private Health Insurance

You can also check out the insurance providers Pacific Prime works with.

Common Symptoms of Meningococcal Disease

The most common symptoms of Meningococcal Disease include fever, serious headache, stiff neck, nausea, sensitivity to light (called photophobia), and a rash. The incubation period is two to seven days from contact, and symptoms can manifest anytime within a few hours or after several days.

This disease often makes a person feel noticeably irritable, and they often prefer to lie still. This disease often presents as Meningitis and/or Septicaemia.

Symptoms of Meningococcal Disease:

• Fever
• Intense headache
• Neck stiffness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Photophobia (or an intolerance of light)
• Quite irritable
• A petechial rash (or blood spots under the skin)

The common symptoms of Septicaemia include:

• Severe muscle and joint pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Confusion
• Shock
• A coma

Diagnosis and Common Treatments for Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal Disease is diagnosed through a culture taken from a blood or cerebrospinal fluid sample. Once confirmed, treatment plans include beginning antibiotics as soon as possible. Usually, admission into the hospital for support and monitoring is essential.

Because medical support in some countries may be limited, it is essential to have dependable global health insurance so you can be transferred to and treated in the best care facilities near wherever you are traveling. 

Meningococcal Disease is a fatal disease in 50% of cases if gone untreated. With swift antibiotic treatment, the fatality rate can still be as high as 8%-15%. Immediate treatment is essential as soon as symptoms begin.

Of those who survive, as many as 20% of them will have life-long complications. Those conditions may include:

• Brain damage
• Seizures
• Hearing loss
• Several visual impairment
• Limb amputation

This disease is serious enough that it is considered a notifiable disease, meaning if a patient is diagnosed with it, their healthcare provider is required to report it to the state.

Conclusion

Meningococcal Disease is a very serious condition. Even though it is rare for travelers to catch it, if you are going to the meningitis belt or planning to spend a lot of time in crowded areas or in direct contact with locals during an epidemic, you will be at higher risk.

To protect yourself, you will want to get the vaccine and plan ahead for an emergency by purchasing international health insurance. This is particularly true if you are an expatriate, digital nomad, or traveler planning to spend an extended period of time in a country with this bacteria.

Preparing ahead of time will give you peace of mind while you travel that if you were to get sick, any form, you will have the coverage you need to pay for the treatment you need so you can recover. Pacific Prime is happy to give you that confidence so you can get back to what matters most: exploring the world!

To learn about other diseases travelers may catch, read The 14 Most Common Diseases to Watch Out for When Traveling Abroad.

Sources 

Meningococcal Disease. (n.d.). Travelhealthpro.org.uk. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/42/meningococcal-disease

Meningococcal Disease – Chapter 4 – 2020 Yellow Book | Travelers’ Health | CDC. (2010). Cdc.gov; CDC.gov. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/travel-related-infectious-diseases/meningococcal-disease

Meningococcal Disease: Travel as a Risk Factor | CDC. (2023, March 8). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/risk-travelers.html#:~:text=Travelers%20who%20spend%20a%20lot

Meningococcal Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know | CDC. (2022, June 24). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/public/index.html#should

Meningococcal Vaccines Recommended for Preteens, Teens. (2019). https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/vaccine-info.html

Team, H. T. H. (n.d.). Meningococcal Meningitis – Fit for Travel. Www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk. https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/disease-prevention-advice/meningococcal-meningitis

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Jantra Jacobs

Senior Copywriter at Pacific Prime

Jantra Jacobs is a Senior Copywriter at Pacific Prime with over 10 years of writing and editing experience. She writes and edits a diverse variety of online and offline copy, including sales and marketing materials ranging from articles and advertising copy to reports, guides, RFPs, and more.

Jantra curates and reports on the results of Pacific Prime’s monthly newsletters, as well as manages Pacific Prime’s Deputy Global CEO’s LinkedIn posts. Complemented by her background in business writing, Jantra’s passion for health, insurance, and employee benefits helps her create engaging content - no matter how complex the subject is.

Growing up as a third-culture kid has given her a multicultural perspective that helps her relate to expats and their families while 8 years of working remotely have given her unique insight into hybrid work arrangements and enthusiasm for employee benefits.

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