A well known respiratory disease may be on the top of the list of illnesses to beware of for both doctors and patients this year, as its beginning to spread in the NYC area and countrywide.
As per a notice released by the city health department on Monday, doctors should be keeping an eye out for symptoms of bacterial meningitis, which is a rare but deadly disease that is reportedly on the rise.
Invasive meningococcal disease, a bacterial infection that causes meningitis and other conditions, has been less common in the US over the past two decades; until now, as cases have started to rise both nationally and in the five boroughs of the city since 2021.
In New York City, annual case estimates of bacterial meningitis have steadily risen over the past three years, from 15 in 2021 to 28 last year, with a mortality rate of about 7% within that particular period. This year, there have been 11 cases in the five boroughs so far, including one that resulted in death, the city health department said.
In terms of national instances of invasive meningococcal disease, there were 143 countrywide cases of the illness through March 25 of this year, which is a significant increase from the 81 cases detected in the same period of last year, as reported by a recent alert from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors are now being advised by the health department to administer antibiotics if they suspect someone is carrying the disease, instead of waiting for test results.
Symptoms of the disease are known to escalate quickly, and they include fever, headaches, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting, according to the CDC.
However, with the most recent incline in infections, many patients have displayed symptoms associated with other conditions like sepsis or septic arthritis, the CDC stated. These conditions can also be linked to the same type of bacterial infection that causes meningitis.
Although the city and CDC have warned people to be extra cautious about bacterial meningitis, rather than the more common and less deadly meningitis. The former is caused by the Neisseria meningitis bacteria, which can develop in the back of the nose or throat, sometimes without even causing symptoms.
The infection can be spread through saliva via coughing or kissing, the CDC reported.
The CDC recommends that most children get the preventative vaccine against meningococcal disease between the ages of 11 or 12, with a booster at 16. It is also recommended for adults with HIV who are vulnerable to the infection.
