[ Outbreak Warning ] Deadly form of meningitis outbreak in Florida kills 12, primarily among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV
Leon County, FL, has also reported a cluster of meningococcal disease cases among college and university students.
June 22, 2022
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0622-Meningococcal-Outbreak.html
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The bacterial meningitis called meningococcal disease is officially being labeled as an outbreak in Florida. There have been 44 confirmed cases, so far this year, according to Florida Department of Health officials. Officials also confirmed 12 people have died this year as a result of the disease and more than half of the cases are from the LGBTQ community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues its collaboration with the Florida Department of Health to investigate one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in U.S. history. Prophylaxis
Public health experts recommend that all close contacts of a patient receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. Close contacts include:
- People in the same household
- Roommates
- Anyone with direct contact with the patient’s saliva (such as a kissing partner)
CDC supports state and local health departments in identifying a response that best protects their residents’ health.
The Florida Department of Health first issued an alert about an outbreak in Leon County several months ago on April 1, 2022
https://leon.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/04/meningococcaldisease.html
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Meningococcal Disease Outbreak in Florida Expands: CDC
By Carolyn Crist
www.webmd.com
June 23, 2022 – The CDC and Florida Department of Health are investigating a growing meningococcal disease outbreak in Florida, which the CDC called “one of the worst outbreaks” of the disease in U.S. history.
At least 24 cases and seven deaths have been reported, mostly among gay and bisexual men, the agency announced Wednesday. Recent data shows that about half of the cases linked to the outbreak are among Hispanic men.
The number of cases in Florida has surpassed the state’s 5-year average for meningitis. In response, the CDC says that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men should get a meningococcal vaccine if they live in Florida or talk with their doctor about getting the vaccine, known as MenACWY, if they are traveling to Florida.
In Florida, anyone can get a MenACWY vaccine for free at any county health department during the outbreak, the agency said. People should get vaccinated at least 2 weeks before traveling.
“Getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease is the best way to prevent this serious illness, which can quickly become deadly,” Jose Romero, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in the CDC announcement.
“Because of the outbreak in Florida, and the number of Pride events being held across the state in coming weeks, it’s important that gay and bisexual men who live in Florida get vaccinated, and those traveling to Florida talk to their healthcare provider about getting a MenACWY vaccine,” he said.
People living with HIV also face increased risks during this outbreak, the CDC said. The MenACWY vaccine is routinely recommended for all people with HIV in the U.S.
In an unrelated cluster of cases with a different subtype of meningococcal disease, college students face higher risks, the CDC said. Officials say college students in Leon County, FL, should get a different shot – the MenB vaccine series – particularly those who live in on campus and those in a fraternity or sorority.
People can find a meningococcal vaccine by contacting their doctor’s office, pharmacy, community health center, or local health department. Insurance providers should pay for vaccination for those who are recommended to receive a shot during the outbreak, the CDC said.
The CDC also says you should see a health provider right away if symptoms appear, such as a high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, or a dark purple rash. Symptoms can appear as a flu-like illness but “typically worsen very quickly,” the agency said.
People spread meningococcal bacteria through respiratory or throat droplets, like spit. Generally, you can get the disease from close contact, doing things like kissing or being near someone who is coughing, the CDC said.
The disease is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, which can show up as meningitis, through inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, or septicemia, through infection of the bloodstream. The disease is rare and can be treated with antibiotics when caught early, though it “can be deadly,” the CDC warned.
“Anyone can get the disease, regardless of sexual orientation, age, race,” Sam Crowe, PhD, a CDC epidemiologist, told The New York Times.
New cases are still being reported, he said, and the outbreak is “very much ongoing.”
“We want to make sure that gay and bisexual men are aware of the deadly outbreak in Florida and how easy it is to protect themselves – namely vaccination,” Crowe said.
https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20220623/meningococcal-disease-outbreak-florida-cdc
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CDC Assists with Meningococcal Disease Outbreak Investigation in Florida ... Gay and bisexual men urged to get vaccinated if living in Florida, or talk with their healthcare provider about vaccination if traveling to Florida
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0622-Meningococcal-Outbreak.html
Press Release
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues its collaboration with the Florida Department of Health to investigate one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in U.S. history. At least 24 cases and 6 deaths among gay and bisexual men have been reported.
In response to this outbreak, CDC is recommending gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men get a meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) if they live in Florida, or talk with their healthcare provider about getting vaccinated if they are traveling to Florida. CDC is also emphasizing the importance of routine MenACWY vaccination for people with HIV. “Getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease is the best way to prevent this serious illness, which can quickly become deadly,” said José R. Romero, M.D., Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “Because of the outbreak in Florida, and the number of Pride events being held across the state in coming weeks, it’s important that gay and bisexual men who live in Florida get vaccinated, and those traveling to Florida talk to their healthcare provider about getting a MenACWY vaccine.” People can find a meningococcal vaccine by contacting their doctor’s office, pharmacy, community health center, or local health department. Insurance providers should pay for meningococcal vaccination for those whom it is recommended for during an outbreak. In Florida, anyone can get a MenACWY vaccine at no cost at any county health department during the outbreak. Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of meningococcal disease. Symptoms can appear suddenly and include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea/vomiting, or a dark purple rash. Symptoms can first appear as a flu-like illness, but typically worsen very quickly. People spread meningococcal bacteria to others by sharing respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit). Generally, it takes close or lengthy contact, such as kissing or being near someone coughing, to spread these bacteria. Meningococcal disease can affect anyone and can be deadly and includes infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best protection against meningococcal disease. More information about the outbreak and vaccine is available at Meningococcal Disease in Florida, 2022 | CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/outbreaks/FL2022.html
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Get Vaccinated
Meningococcal disease outbreak among men who have sex with men
In response to an ongoing outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Florida, CDC is encouraging gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men to:
- Get a MenACWY vaccine if they live in Florida [1]
- Talk with their healthcare provider about getting a MenACWY vaccine if they are traveling to Florida
In addition, CDC is highlighting that MenACWY vaccination is routinely recommended for all people with HIV in the United States. [2]
Meningococcal disease cluster among college and university students
In response to a cluster of serogroup B meningococcal disease cases in Florida, officials are recommending the following groups of college and university students in Leon County, FL, consider getting a MenB vaccine series [3] :
- College and university undergraduate students
- Students living in on-campus housing
- Those who participate in a fraternity or sorority
Find a meningococcal vaccine by contacting your
- Doctor’s office
- Pharmacy
- Community health center
- Local health department
https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/healthdirectories/healthdepartments.html
Meningococcal disease: Very serious, often deadly
The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis (an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and bloodstream infection, both of which can quickly become deadly. Three serogroups of meningococcal bacteria cause most meningococcal disease in the United States: B, C, and Y.
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/causes-transmission.html
Seek medical care right away if you have symptoms
Symptoms of meningococcal disease can first appear as a flu-like illness and rapidly worsen.
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/symptoms.html
Serogroup C outbreak among men who have sex with men
There is a large, ongoing outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Florida, primarily among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV. Recent data show that about half of the cases associated with this outbreak are among Hispanic men. This outbreak is mostly affecting people who live in Florida but has also affected some people who have traveled to Florida.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0622-Meningococcal-Outbreak.html
MenACWY vaccination offers the best protection
In response to the serogroup C outbreak in Florida, CDC is encouraging gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (with or without HIV) to:
- Get a MenACWY vaccine if they live in Florida
- Talk with their healthcare provider about getting a MenACWY vaccine if they are traveling to Florida
Ideally, people would get vaccinated with one dose (or the 2-dose series for people with HIV) at least 2 weeks before traveling. Learn more about what gay and bisexual men need to know about meningococcal disease outbreaks.
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/17-275138C1-MeningococcalDis-ACWY-Outbreak-FS.pdf
CDC is also emphasizing the importance of routine MenACWY vaccination for people with HIV. For the best protection, people with HIV should make sure they have gotten their 2-dose primary series of a MenACWY vaccine and are up to date with booster doses. Learn more about what people living with HIV need to know about meningococcal disease.
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/17-275138B-MeningococcalDis-HIV-FS.pdf
Serogroup B cluster among college and university students
Leon County, FL, also reports an unrelated serogroup B meningococcal disease cluster among college and university students. This cluster has only been reported to affect people living in Florida.
https://leon.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/05/dohleon-update-meningococcal.html
Serogroup B vaccination offers the best protection
In response to the serogroup B cluster in Florida, officials are recommending the following groups of college and university students in Leon County, FL, consider getting a MenB vaccine series:
- College and university undergraduate students
- Students living in on-campus housing
- Those who participate in a fraternity or sorority
Learn more about what people need to know about serogroup B meningococcal disease
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/serogroup-b-factsheet.pdf
Footnotes
1. CDC routinely recommends MenACWY vaccine for children and adults at increased risk for meningococcal disease during an outbreak involving serogroups A, C, W, or Y. CDC also recommends a booster shot for those at increased risk due to an outbreak who received the vaccine more than 5 years ago.
2. CDC routinely recommends MenACWY vaccine for children and adults at increased risk for meningococcal disease, including those with HIV. People with HIV should get a 2-dose primary series of MenACWY vaccine, with the second dose given at least 8 weeks after the first, followed by a booster dose every 5 years. If someone completed their primary series before the age of 7 years, they should get their first booster dose 3 years later and then get a booster dose every 5 years.
3. CDC routinely recommends MenB vaccine for people 10 years or older who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease during an outbreak involving serogroup B. CDC also recommends a booster shot for those at increased risk due to an outbreak who received the vaccine more than 1 year ago.
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Confirmed Cases of Meningococcal Disease Under Investigation in Leon County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2022
Confirmed Cases of Meningococcal Disease Under Investigation in Leon County
https://leon.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/04/meningococcaldisease.html
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) is investigating three confirmed cases of meningococcal disease in individuals in Tallahassee aged 18 to 22. This is a serious disease caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. However, it is preventable and treatable. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against meningococcal disease.
DOH Leon offers meningococcal disease vaccines. For more information, visit the DOH Leon immunizations website or call 850-404-6403.
The number of confirmed cases and possible exposures constitutes a meningococcal cluster. DOH Leon’s epidemiology team is contacting people with potential or direct exposure to known cases and providing them with information and treatment options.
This type of bacterial meningitis is not easily transmissible from person-to-person. It requires close contact over a period of time, or direct contact such as kissing or sharing drinks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people do not catch the bacteria through casual contact or by breathing air where someone with meningococcal disease has been.
Early symptoms of the disease include sudden headache, fever, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, rash, and light sensitivity. Anyone who has been exposed or develops symptoms should be evaluated by a health care provider right away. This is a rare but potentially devastating infection.
“We are working to investigate these cases and to ensure that people who have come into close contact with the patients receive antibiotics as a precautionary measure against infection,” said Sandon S. Speedling, MHS, CPM, CPH, Interim Health Officer, DOH Leon.
For more information about meningococcal disease, please visit the CDC website.
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About the Florida Department of Health
The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.
Follow the Florida Department of Health in Leon County on Twitter at @healthyleonfl
Media Contact:
Pamela Saulsby
Public Information Officer
Pamela.saulsby@flhealth.gov
850-404-6220
