In numbers: the rising death rate.
The disease is brought on by infection with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis. Last yr, 422 cases of invasive meningococcal disease The United States has the best number since 2014, in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, as of Monday, 143 cases had been reported to the CDC up to now, 62 greater than the variety of cases reported last yr throughout the same period.
The disease is extremely dangerous. Even with appropriate treatment, 10 to fifteen percent of patients who develop meningococcal disease will die. Many recent cases have been brought on by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466. This strain caused 17 deaths amongst 94 patients with known results, for a mortality rate of 18 percent.
Survivors of meningococcal disease could also be left with long-term disabilities, deafness, amputations, or brain damage.
Mystery: what is causing the epidemic?
Most people affected by recent outbreaks are black and adults aged 30 to 60.
Others liable to infection include those infected with HIV, who make up 15 percent of patients; individuals who have had their spleen removed; people affected by sickle cell disease; and patients with certain rare immune system disorders.
The meningitis vaccine, which protects against 4 of six sorts of N. meningitidis – including group Y, which incorporates ST-1466 – is advisable for adolescents and other people with diseases comparable to HIV. Most older adults haven’t received the vaccine.
In Virginia, which has had 35 cases of meningococcal disease and 6 deaths since summer 2022, public health officials have found no epidemiological link to clarify the outbreak, said Dr. Laurie Forlano, state epidemiologist.
“We always try to find the golden ticket that covers common risk factors,” Dr. Forlano said. “Was everyone at one party or one family event together? Has everyone been to a specific facility? Are there social networks that share? That is simply not the case here.”
The disease is not spread through casual contact, but through activities involving exposure to saliva, respiratory or throat secretions – for instance, kissing, sharing foods and drinks, or cigarettes.
Ticking clock: healing must occur quickly.
The infection may cause meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to light and altered mental status.
The bacteria also can enter the bloodstream, a complication called sepsis, which appears to be a more common consequence in current serogroup Y cases. Symptoms include fever and chills, fatigue, vomiting, cold hands and feet, severe pain, diarrhea, rapid respiratory, and in later stages a dark purple rash.
Symptoms can worsen quickly and develop into life-threatening inside a number of hours. Antibiotics needs to be administered immediately.
“With meningococcal disease, people think of meningitis, which is a very scary disease,” Dr. Forlano said. “However, we want to convey to the clinical community that these cases look different than what we are used to. So, hey, think about it.
Despite the risks, she emphasized that the disease remains rare. “The risk to the general public is low,” she said.
