Meningococcal Meningitis on the Rise
The CDC is alerting doctors to be on the lookout for certain types of rare, serious meningococcal infections that are on the rise in the United States.
This alarming increase is caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, which has caused 1 in 6 people to die, a higher fatality rate than they typically see with meningococcal infections.
These cases are also unusual because they are striking middle-aged adults. Typically, meningitis infections strike babies or adolescents and young adults.
Meningococcal disease refers to any sickness caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The infection can lead to both meningitis or septicemia.
There are four different groups of meningococcal bacteria known to circulate in the United States — B, C, W and Y. The CDC says that in 2023, there were 422 cases of disease caused by these bacteria reported in the United States, the highest number reported since 2014. Most of them were caused by a particular strain, ST-1466, which is in the Y subgroup.
To date, 143 cases have been reported in the United States this year — almost 80% more than had been reported at the same point in 2023.
The CDC says most people being diagnosed with this particular strain are adults ages 30 to 60. A disproportionate number of cases, 63%, are among Black people and 15% are in people who have HIV.
Typical symptoms of meningitis infections include fever, headache, a stiff neck, an aversion to light and nausea. However, many of the recently reported cases didn't have these symptoms. About two-thirds of patients had bloodstream infections and about 4% had painful, infected joints.
Initial symptoms can look like a lot of different infections, but they get worse quickly and may become life-threatening within hours, the CDC said. Immediate treatment with antibiotics (rifampin, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone) is critical. Survivors may have long term effects such as deafness or amputations of the arms and legs.
There is a vaccine that protects against bacterial meningitis. It is recommended for children ages 11 to 12, and because protection wanes, a booster is usually given at age 16. It’s also recommended for people with certain medical conditions that compromise immune function, like HIV. The CDC says people in vulnerable groups should get boosters of this vaccine every 3 to 5 years.
