CDC Advisory: Surge in Cases of Invasive Meningococcal Disease Sparks Urgent Call for Vaccinations

2024-03-28 20:19:55

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory Thursday warning health care providers of an increase in invasive meningococcal disease and urging them to provide necessary vaccinations against the deadly disease.

Meningococcal disease, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, is a serious bacterial infection that commonly affects the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream.

As of Monday, 143 cases had been reported, compared to 81 cases at this time last year, the CDC said. Last year, 422 cases were recorded, the highest annual number since 2014.

The increase in infections is mainly due to a specific strain of meningococcal bacteria group Y.

Infection with this strain has disproportionately affected people ages 30 to 60, African Americans and those infected with HIV, according to the agency, which urged health care providers to have “increased suspicion” of meningococcal disease in these populations.

The agency also warned that patients may present with an infection of the bloodstream or joints and without symptoms typical of meningitis, such as fever, headache and stiff neck.

Four of the six meningococcal bacteria groups – a, B, C, W, X and Y – are circulating in the United States, the CDC says, and vaccines are available against all but the X group.

In October, the US Food and Drug Administration (link) approved Pfizer PFE’s Penbraya vaccine, the first shot to protect against five groups of meningococcal bacteria.

Pfizer currently markets two vaccines to protect against the disease, with Trumenba targeting group B and Nimenrix protecting against the other four groups of bacteria.