Am J Public Health. 2026 Jun;116(6):851-854. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308459.
ABSTRACT
Objectives. To examine trends in meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination coverage among US adolescents aged 16 and 17 years. Methods. We conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of 2018 to 2023 National Immunization Survey-Teen data to calculate the annual percentage of eligible adolescents who received the MenB vaccine and to assess changes over time. Results. Only 19.8% of the 41 505 eligible adolescents initiated MenB vaccination between 2018 and 2023. A total of 24.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 22.5, 26.6) of adolescents received 1 or more MenB vaccinations in 2023, as compared with 13.2% (95% CI = 11.7, 14.6) in 2018. Among initiators, most received only 1 dose. Conclusions. MenB vaccination coverage among 16- and 17-year-old adolescents increased modestly between 2018 and 2023. As of 2023, approximately 3 out of 4 adolescents in this age group had not received the MenB vaccine. Public Health Implications. As of 2023, less than one quarter of 16- and 17-year-old adolescents had initiated MenB vaccination. Given that MenB has accounted for most meningococcal disease among adolescents and young adults since 2013, efforts to improve uptake are warranted. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(6):851-854. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308459).
PMID:42127373 | DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2026.308459
