Antibiotics can be used to treat people with meningococcal disease, but early treatment is very important. In some situations, chemoprophylaxis of contacts can be used; however, as 5%–15% of children and young adults carry meningococci in the nose and throat, chemoprophylaxis might be of little value for the control of most endemic and epidemic disease. Immunization is the only rational approach to the control of meningococcal disease.