Meningococcal disease may affect people of all ages, but there is a higher frequency in children between 6 months and 5 years and adolescents between 14 and 19 years. The overall incidence of meningitis in Europe is about 1.8 / 100.000 inhabitants. Even in countries with well organised health care systems, 5-10% of patients with meningococcal disease will die, and worldwide about 20% of survivors will suffer severe neurological dysfunctions.
Today, meningococci are an important cause of clinically significant meningitis, with serogroups B and C accounting for over 90% of all cases in Europe. In recent years, there has been a pronounced shift in the direction of serogroup C in several countries.
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