RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is giving an update on a community outbreak of meningococcal disease in Eastern Virginia. The outbreak was first declared in September of 2022.
Twelve cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) type Y have been reported since June 2022. Since then, three patients have died from complications associated with the disease, indicating this outbreak strain might cause more severe illness than is usually seen in type Y cases, VDH said. The deaths occurred between one to six days after symptoms began for those fatal cases. The strain is also believed to be circulating more widely in Virginia and other states.
Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. The bacteria spread from person to person through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (e.g., kissing, coughing or sneezing directly into the face of others, or sharing cups, water bottles, eating utensils, cigarettes).
Here's how VDH recommends people stay safe while the outbreak continues:
- Don’t share personal items (e.g., vapes, lipsticks, toothbrushes)
- Practice good hand hygiene
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Do not delay seeking care if you experience symptoms of meningococcal disease
- Ensure adolescents and teenagers receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) on schedule at 11 or 12 years old and then a booster dose at 16 years old
- Speak to your healthcare provider if you are at high risk for meningococcal disease to ensure you are up to date on the MenACWY vaccine
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Health Security says there is a way to protect against the disease.
"I just think it's important to recognize that these types of outbreaks are vaccine-preventable," said Dr. Adalja.
VDH says eleven patients were not vaccinated for meningococcal disease type Y, and one was partially vaccinated.
Dr. Adalja says it's a typically routine childhood immunization. But, today's vaccines are better than a generation ago.
"It may not make sense for every person to get vaccinated at this point if they've already gotten through that risk period of college life without getting meningitis," he said. "However, during outbreak situations, there may be different recommendations that public health authorities may use."
VDH has not identified a common risk factor in this latest outbreak. Officials say all case patients are residents of Hampton Roads and most are Black adults between the ages of 30 and 60.
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