The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating “one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in U.S. history.”
And the newspaper “The Hill” indicated that this investigation comes after at least 24 cases and six deaths were reported in Florida.
In a press release, the CDC described the outbreak meningococci Of the serogroup C, which is mainly prevalent among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV, about half of cases have been reported among Hispanic men, and the serogroup C It is a group of bacteria containing a common antigen.
The CDC, which is investigating the outbreak along with the Florida Department of Health, is looking into an outbreak of the “B” meningococcal serogroup among college students in Lyon County, Florida, the newspaper said.
The Florida Department of Health issued its first alert about the outbreak in Lyon County in April. Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, and can cause a fatal infection in the bloodstream or meningitis, an infection that affects the lining of the brain or spinal cord. The bacteria spread from During close contact, such as coughing or kissing, the most common symptoms of illness are fever, headache or purple rash.
The CDC encourages gay and bisexual men in Florida to get the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (or MenACWY), which is free through Florida County Resources.
For his part, Jose Romero, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that vaccination “is the best way to prevent this dangerous disease, which can quickly become fatal,” adding that those who travel to Florida speak to their health care provider. About getting the MenACWY vaccine.