Infection with Neisseria meningitidis bacteria can lead to serious conditions. The most common are meningitis and bloodstream infection:

• Meningococcal meningitis: bacteria infect the thin membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
  
  
• Bloodstream infection (septicemia): bacteria in the bloodstream multiply rapidly and overwhelm the body's natural defenses

In this section, you can learn more about these 2 conditions.