WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine to protect people age 11 to 55 against bacterial meningitis, which is rare but potentially deadly and debilitating.

The French company sanofi pasteur received approval from the federal agency to manufacture the vaccine Menactra to protect against the A, C, Y and W-135 strains of bacteria that cause meningococcal diseases.

The FDA granted approval on Friday. Sanofi pasteur said a single dose of Menactra showed enough power to protect students all through their college years. The current vaccine required booster shots to cover a similar period.

In the United States, fewer than 3,000 cases of invasive meningococcal disease are reported each year, the Centers for Disease Control says. People 15-24 suffer the highest mortality rates, and survivors can suffer mental disabilities, hearing loss and paralysis. Worldwide, more than 500,000 cases of meningococcal disease occur each year, causing 135,000 deaths.