1. Invasive Meningococcal Disease Among People Experiencing Homelessness-United States, 2016-2019.
- Author
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Rudmann KC, Brown NE, Rubis AB, Burns M, Ramsey A, De Las Nueces D, Martin T, Barnes M, Davizon ES, Retchless AC, Potts C, Wang X, Hariri S, and McNamara LA
- Subjects
- Humans, Incidence, Serogroup, United States epidemiology, Ill-Housed Persons, Meningococcal Infections epidemiology, Meningococcal Vaccines, Neisseria meningitidis
- Abstract
Background: Recently, several invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) outbreaks caused by Neisseria meningitidis have occurred among people experiencing homelessness (PEH). However, overall IMD risk among PEH is not well described. We compared incidence and characteristics of IMD among PEH and persons not known to be experiencing homelessness (non-PEH) in the United States., Methods: We analyzed 2016-2019 IMD data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and enhanced meningococcal disease surveillance. Incidence was calculated using US census data and point-in-time counts from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development., Results: Of cases from states participating in enhanced surveillance during 2016-2019 (n = 1409), 45 cases (3.2%) occurred among PEH. Annual incidence was higher among PEH (2.12 cases/100 000) than non-PEH (0.11 cases/100 000; relative risk, 19.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.8-26.7). Excluding outbreak-associated cases (PEH n = 18, 40%; non-PEH n = 98, 7.2%), incidence among PEH remained elevated compared to incidence in non-PEH (relative risk, 12.8; 95% CI, 8.8-18.8). Serogroup C was identified in 68.2% of PEH cases compared to 26.4% in non-PEH (P < .0001)., Conclusions: PEH are at increased risk for IMD. Further assessment is needed to determine the feasibility and potential impact of meningococcal vaccination for PEH in the United States., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts of interest. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America 2022. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)
- Published
- 2022
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