title: Meningococcal disease among men who have sex with men - United States, January 2012-June 2015.
abstract: Since 2012, three clusters of serogroup C meningococcal disease among men who have sex with men (MSM) have been reported in the United States. During 2012, 13 cases of meningococcal disease among MSM were reported by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (1); over a 5-month period during 2012–2013, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported four cases among MSM; and during May–June 2015, the Chicago Department of Public Health reported seven cases of meningococcal disease among MSM in the greater Chicago area. MSM have not previously been considered at increased risk for meningococcal disease. Determining outbreak thresholds* for special populations of unknown size (such as MSM) can be difficult. The New York City health department declared an outbreak based on an estimated increased risk for meningococcal infection in 2012 among MSM and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected MSM compared with city residents who were not MSM or for whom MSM status was unknown (1). The Chicago Department of Public Health also declared an outbreak based on an increase in case counts and thresholds calculated using population estimates of MSM and HIV-infected MSM. Local public health response included increasing awareness among MSM, conducting contact tracing and providing chemoprophylaxis to close contacts, and offering vaccination to the population at risk (1–3). To better understand the epidemiology and burden of meningococcal disease in MSM populations in the United States and to inform recommendations, CDC analyzed data from a retrospective review of reported cases from January 2012 through June 2015.
authors.forename: Hajime
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authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Jessica
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authors.lastname: MacNeil
authors.forename: Amy
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authors.lastname: Blain
authors.forename: Manisha
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authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Stacey
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authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Stephanie
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authors.lastname: Ngai
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authors.lastname: Ezeoke
authors.forename: Laurene
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authors.lastname: Mascola
authors.forename: Rachel
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authors.lastname: Civen
authors.forename: Van
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authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Stephanie
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authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kemble
authors.forename: Rashmi
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authors.lastname: Chugh
authors.forename: Elizabeth
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authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: Kathleen
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authors.lastname: Harriman
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beron
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Clegg
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authors.lastname: Conover
authors.forename: Lara
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authors.lastname: Misegades
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult