Meningococcal disease on the rise in the US

A rise in invasive serogroup Y meningococcal disease has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a health advisory for healthcare providers.

“Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis. About 1 in 10 people are natural carriers of the bacteria, and it can spread to others by sharing respiratory secretions,” says Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.

Serogroups B, C and Y cause most diseases in the U.S., with much of the recent rise in infection driven by serogroup Y. Anyone can become infected with the bacteria; however, young children, teenagers, people over 65, and anyone with HIV or immune deficiencies tend to have the highest rates of meningococcal disease.
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