Health

CDC warns about increase in deadly cases of meningitis and bloodstream infections

By Mallika Marshall, MD

April 1, 2024 / 5:38 PM EDT / CBS Boston

Deadly cases of meningitis and bloodstream infections on rise, CDC warns

BOSTON -The CDC has issued an alert to healthcare providers about an increase in potentially deadly cases of "meningitis and bloodstream infections" caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis or meningococcus, specifically serogroup "Y."

There has been 140 cases this year so far, outpacing last year. The infections have predominantly been in adults between the ages of 30 and 60.

Black Americans and people with HIV are at highest risk.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, and, in some cases, a reddish-purple rash.

The disease can progress rapidly to death within hours if not treated promptly with antibiotics.

It is recommended that all 11 to 12-year-olds receive the meningitis vaccine and again at age 16. People at higher risk, like those with HIV, should get vaccinated on a regular basis.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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