Risk Factors for Serogroup C Meningococcal Disease during Outbreak among Men who Have Sex with Men, New York City, New York, USA

Read at: http://ht.ly/Q6Ap5 HT @CDC_EIDjournal

Risk factors for illness during a serogroup C meningococcal disease outbreak among men who have sex with men in New York City, New York, USA, in 2012–2013 included methamphetamine and cocaine use and sexually transmitted infections. Outbreak investigations should consider routinely capturing information regarding drug use and sex-related risk factors.

In the United States, meningococcal disease, a nationally reportable bacterial disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis, has a case-fatality rate of 10%–15% (1). Clusters of serogroup C meningococcal disease have been reported among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chicago, Illinois, USA; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Europe (2–4). However, case–control studies to evaluate unique risk factors among this population are lacking.

During August 2010–February 2013, New York City (NYC), New York, had a protracted outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease among MSM, which is described elsewhere in this issue (5). To more fully understand risk factors associated with the outbreak, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) conducted a case–control study.