CDC Issues Alert After Invasive and Deadly Meningococcal Disease Rates Soar in U.S.
Neisseria meningitidis
An urgent health alert has been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the United States witnesses a sharp increase in the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease.
According to CDC, meningococcal disease “refers to any illness caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. These illnesses are often severe, can be deadly, and include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream.”
Transmission occurs through close contact, prompting urgent calls for individuals with symptoms to seek care promptly to improve outcomes with timely antibiotic treatment.
With 422 cases recorded last year, this figure marks the highest annual case count since 2014, FOX News reported.
