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CDC urges men who have sex with men to get meningococcal disease vaccines amid Florida outbreaks. Department of Health reported last week that the number of meningococcal cases identified in 2022, including meningitis, has already surpassed the five-year average. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is warning gay and bisexual men in Florida about an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Florida, urging men who have sex with men to get vaccinated.
The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis, which is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, and bloodstream infection, according to the CDC. Both can quickly become deadly. College students, immunocompromised people, people living with HIV and men who have sex with men should all get vaccinated against meningococcal disease with a MenACWY vaccine, according to the CDC and The Department of Health. People in those groups who have not been vaccinated in five years should also get another shot.
In addition, CDC is highlighting the following existing meningococcal vaccine recommendations:
• MenACWY vaccination is routinely recommended for all people with HIV in the United States2
• Young adults in the United States, including college students, may choose to get a MenB vaccine
Find a meningococcal vaccine by contacting your doctor’s office, pharmacy, community health center, clinic, or your local health department.
