What is pneumococcal meningitis?
Pneumococcal meningitis is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria (also called pneumococcus, or S pneumoniae). This type of bacteria is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in adults. It is the second most common cause of meningitis in children older than age 2. Risk factors include: Alcohol use.
What causes meningitis outbreak?
Several different bacteria can cause meningitis. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis are the most frequent ones. N. meningitidis, causing meningococcal meningitis, is the one with the potential to produce large epidemics.
What is meningococcal outbreak?
A meningococcal disease outbreak occurs when multiple cases of the same serogroup (type) happen in a population over a short time period. Outbreaks can occur in communities, schools, colleges, prisons, and other populations.
How do you get pneumococcal meningitis?
Pneumococcal meningitis is transmitted from one person to another. The bacteria are spread through direct contact with the tiny droplets from an infected person’s mouth, throat, or nose. For example, if someone with the infection coughs or sneezes on or near you, you may contract the disease.
What is the difference between meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis?
Meningococcal meningitis – caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacterium. Pneumococcal meningitis – caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium.
Where is the meningitis outbreak?
There is a large, ongoing outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Florida, primarily among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV. Recent data show that about half of the cases associated with this outbreak are among Hispanic men.
Is meningococcal meningitis an epidemic or outbreak?
Meningococcal disease occurs worldwide, with the highest incidence of disease found in the ‘meningitis belt’ of sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, major epidemics occur every 5 to 12 years with attack rates reaching 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.
How is pneumococcal disease transmitted?
How is pneumococcal disease spread? It spreads from person-to-person by coming into contact with fluids like the saliva or mucus of someone who is sick. Many people, especially children, can have this bacteria in their nose or throat without being ill and can still transmit the disease to others.
How is pneumococcal meningitis prevented?
One way to prevent pneumococcal meningitis is to completely eradicate pneumococcal colonization. This might be best done with a vaccine that targets the important pneumococcal virulence factors essential for colonization.
When was the last outbreak of meningitis?
University-based outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B, United States, 2013–2018
| State of university | Outbreak period | Clonal complex of outbreak strain |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 2016 Mar–Apr | 11 |
| Wisconsin | 2016 Oct | 32 |
| Oregon | 2016 Nov–2017 Nov | 32 |
| Massachusetts¶ | 2017 Oct–2018 Feb | 41/44 |
How do you describe an outbreak?
An outbreak is a sudden rise in the number of cases of a disease. An outbreak may occur in a community or geographical area, or may affect several countries. It may last for a few days or weeks, or even for several years. Some outbreaks are expected each year, such as influenza.