The rise of certain rare and severe meningococcal infections in the United States has prompted health officials to advise doctors to remain vigilant.

According to a recent health alert by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals may experience atypical symptoms from infections caused by a specific type of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. So far this year, approximately one-sixth of the reported cases have resulted in death, which is a higher mortality rate compared to the usual rate for meningococcal infections. The CDC alert can be found at here.

Normally, meningitis infections occur in babies, adolescents, or young adults. However, these particular cases are affecting middle-aged individuals, which is uncommon.

In September, the Virginia Department of Health issued a warning about five deaths caused by a rare and severe form of meningococcal disease, prompting the CDC to issue an alert.

Neisseria meningitidis is responsible for causing various illnesses collectively known as meningococcal disease. This condition can result in meningitis as well as a severe infection of the blood known as septicemia or blood poisoning.

The transmission of bacteria from one individual to another is possible when exchanging respiratory and throat secretions, often through actions such as kissing, coughing, sneezing, or living in close proximity to someone who is already infected.

According to the CDC, there are four distinct categories of meningococcal bacteria that are prevalent in the United States – B, C, W and Y. In the year 2023, there were a total of 422 cases of bacterial disease reported in the United States, marking the highest number reported since 2014. The majority of these cases were attributed to a specific strain, ST-1466, which falls under the Y subgroup.

As of now, the number of cases in 2024 is expected to surpass the previous year’s total. Currently, there have been 143 reported cases in the United States, which is nearly 80% higher than the number reported at this time in 2023.

According to the CDC, the majority of individuals who are identified with this specific variation are between the ages of 30 to 60.

Common signs of meningitis infections consist of a high body temperature, head pain, rigidity in the neck, sensitivity to light, and feeling nauseous. However, a number of the newly documented instances do not exhibit these indications. Approximately two-thirds of individuals experience infections in their blood, while only 4% suffer from inflamed and achy joints.

Signs of meningococcal bacteremia consist of high body temperature and shivering, exhaustion, nausea, numbness in the extremities, quickened breathing, loose bowel movements and, in advanced stages, a purplish skin rash.

According to the CDC, the first signs of the condition may mimic various infections, but they deteriorate rapidly and can potentially become life-threatening within a matter of hours. It is crucial to promptly administer antibiotics for effective treatment. Those who survive may experience lasting consequences, such as hearing loss or the loss of limbs.