WorldAugust 11, 2026

meningococcal

muh-NING-guh-KOK-uhl

Definition

Relating to a type of bacterium that can cause severe, life-threatening infections such as meningitis and bloodstream sepsis.

Etymology

Derived from the New Latin 'meningococcus', combining 'mening-' from the Greek for membrane and 'coccus' from the Greek word for berry, referring to the round shape of the bacteria.

In the news

The article mentions meningococcal vaccination as a specific medical mandate often subject to state-level exemption debates.

Trump order directs Justice Department to sue states over vaccine exemptions

Read the full article ↗

Jurist.org

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