An outbreak of meningococcal disease in Florida has caused at least 26 cases of serious illness, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Seven of the cases were fatal, said Sam Crowe, a CDC epidemiologist.
The outbreak mainly affects men who have sex with men; at least 24 of the cases and six of the deaths were among gay and bisexual men, the agency said in a press release. Approximately half of the cases occurred in Latinos.
New cases are still being reported. The outbreak is “very ongoing,” said Dr. Crowe.
The disease, which is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, is usually spread through close or prolonged contact, through activities such as kissing. It can manifest as meningitis – inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord – or septicemia, an infection of the blood. The disease remains rare, but serious and can cause death “literally overnight,” said Jill Roberts, a molecular epidemiologist at the University of South Florida.
“The number of cases is not very large,” she added. “But every case of meningitis is really considered something we worry about.”
When diagnosed early, the disease is treated with antibiotics. It can also be prevented with a vaccine, and health officials are urging at-risk populations, especially men who have sex with men and live in Florida, to be vaccinated.
“We want to make sure that gays and bisexual men are aware of the deadly epidemic in Florida and how easy it is to defend themselves – namely vaccination,” said Dr. Crowe.
Vaccination is also often recommended for students and people with HIV or a compromised immune system.
Although the current epidemic has mainly affected men who have sex with men, the disease can affect anyone who has close contact with an infected individual.
“Everyone can get the disease, regardless of sexual orientation, age, race,” said Dr. Crowe.
Florida first notified the CDC of a surge in meningococcal disease in late January, Dr. Crowe said. The state typically sees 20 to 25 cases of the disease each year; so far this year, 44 cases have been reported in Florida, he said. (Not all of these cases are related to the current epidemic; a small group of unrelated cases occurred among students in February and March, Dr. Crowe said, and there were other isolated cases.)
Many recent cases of monkeypox have also been identified in men who have sex with men, but this disease can also affect anyone, regardless of sexual orientation. It is extremely important not to stigmatize men who have sex with men, experts said.
“It’s in everyone’s best interest to make sure that people feel very comfortable presenting themselves and that they get the care they need,” said Dr. Roberts.
Symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, headache, stiff neck and rash. People who develop these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, scientists said.
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