Don’t be surprised if you see the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the LGBTQ+ Pride Parade this year or on its dating app.
The CDC is trying to warn men in Florida or traveling to the state, particularly those who identify as gay, bisexual, queer or trans, to get the vaccine that could prevent them from contracting meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal disease, including meningitis, is a bacterial infection in the lining of the brain and spinal cord.
The CDC describes the situation in Florida as “one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in US history.”
As of Friday (24), there are 26 cases and seven deaths, with 24 of these cases among men who have sex with other men. Six of the deaths were also part of the LGBTQ+ community. Half of the cases occurred in individuals who identify as Hispanic.
The disease doesn’t just affect people in the LGBTQ+ community and doesn’t appear to be linked to a specific event. The CDC is still investigating, but the outbreak is ongoing.
The situation comes as the Center is already tracking another unusual outbreak, that of monkeypox. As of Friday, the CDC reported 201 cases of orthopoxvirus in the United States, including 16 in Florida.
The threat to the country’s general population is low, the agency says, but there are high numbers of cases of the disease among gay and bisexual men. “However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk,” the CDC notes.
Associate Director of Prevention for the Division of Food and Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Sam Crowe, told CNN that there are records of meningococcal cases throughout the state.
Typically, two in 10 people who contract meningococcal disease die, according to the CDC. As soon as a person gets sick, they need to take antibiotics right away.
The Center plans to continue to make a major publicity and education effort in English and Spanish in local newspapers, through the media and on dating apps throughout the summer. The agency says its presence at Pride events will also continue throughout the summer.
Grindr, the largest dating app for the LGBTQ+ community. said he is working with the CDC and Building Health Online Communities, a nonprofit that supports the health of gay men, to spread awareness of the outbreak.
The app first sent a message about the disease in April and then in early June to its users in Florida. The message warns users that gay and bisexual men in the state are at increased risk of meningococcal disease and should seek immediate attention if they experience any of the symptoms, such as a stiff neck, headache, or severe flu-like symptoms.
People may not know that there is an urgent need to see a doctor because the symptoms can look a lot like other health conditions, such as a hangover or the flu.
“That’s part of the challenge,” Crowe tells CNN . “High fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and even a dark purple rash. It can progress very quickly and lead to death in a short period of time. So we are warning people with these symptoms to definitely go to the doctor as soon as possible.”
It’s not as contagious as the common cold, says Crowe. People need close contact with the infected to get sick. But “close contact” can just mean living in the same house. It spreads through respiratory secretions such as saliva and can be transmitted through kissing.
“It is very worrying that we are seeing this number of deaths and even very bad sequelae, including limb amputation and deafness. It’s a very serious disease,” Crowe said.
HIV positive people are especially vulnerable as they are immunocompromised. The CDC already encourages this group to get vaccinated against meningococcal disease to prevent serious illness.
“The vaccine is readily available. People can go to the local health service,” Crowe said. “The immunizer is also available free of charge from the health department in each county. We are trying to make sure that everyone who wants the vaccine can get it as soon as possible.”
Source: CNN Brasil
