Meningococcus is a condition that can cause inflammation of the lining around your brain and spinal cord, which is called meningitis. There are six types of meningitis serogroups: A, B, C, W, X and Y.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert to health care providers about a rise in bacterial infections caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert to health care providers about a rise in bacterial infections caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. The illness is known as meningococcus, which can cause inflammation of the lining around your brain and spinal cord. This condition is called meningitis. There are six types of meningitis serogroups that are known: A, B, C, W, X and Y. The four groups that are in the United States are B, C, W and Y.
,Meningococcus is a type of bacteria that can cause meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining around your brain and spinal cord. It can also affect other parts of your body such as blood vessels or organs like kidneys or liver.
A variant of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y has reported 140 cases in 2024 so far, targeting adults between the ages of 30 to 60 years old. People who are at a higher risk of getting this type of meningitis include Black and African Americans or someone with HIV.
There are six types of meningitis serogroups that are known: A, B, C, W, X and Y. The four groups that are in the United States are B, C, W and Y.
Accuracy
The illness is caused by infection with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis.
Last year, 422 cases of invasive meningococcal disease were reported in the United States, the highest number since 2014
<strong>ST-1466</strong>: Many recent cases were caused by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466.
The spike is notable because it affects people ages 30 to 60, African Americans and those with HIV more than other age groups or risk factors.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that a strain of meningococcal disease has started circulating within the United States without providing any evidence to support this claim. Secondly, they state that people who are at a higher risk of getting this type of meningitis are Black and African Americans or someone who has HIV without disclosing sources for these claims. Thirdly, the article states that there is currently an outbreak in Virginia but does not provide any information on how many cases have been confirmed or if it's still ongoing.
The author mentions an outbreak in Virginia but does not provide any information on how many cases have been confirmed or if it's still ongoing.
The author claims that a strain of meningococcal disease has started circulating within the United States without providing any evidence to support this claim.
The article states that people who are at a higher risk of getting this type of meningitis are Black and African Americans or someone who has HIV but does not disclose sources for these claims.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that the CDC has issued an alert to health care providers about bacterial infections as a strain of meningococcal disease begins to circulate within the United States. The author does not provide any context or explanation for this claim.
In addition, the state of Virginia is currently dealing with a statewide outbreak from the meningococcal disease type Y.
. The illness is caused by infection with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis.
The spike in cases of invasive meningococcal disease affects people ages 30 to 60 and African Americans more than other age groups or risk factors.
Accuracy
Last year, 422 cases of invasive meningococcal disease were reported in the United States, the highest number since 2014
. Many recent cases were caused by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalism by stating that invasive meningococcal disease is a rare but potentially deadly illness that requires prompt treatment with antibiotics to prevent long-term disability or death. This statement exaggerates the severity of the disease and creates fear in readers without providing any context on how common it actually is. Secondly, the author uses selective reporting by focusing only on recent outbreaks caused by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466, while ignoring other factors that contribute to the increase in cases such as vaccination rates and healthcare access. Thirdly, the article implies that people with certain medical conditions are more susceptible to meningococcal disease without providing any evidence or statistics on this claim.
The author selectively reports on recent outbreaks caused by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466 while ignoring other factors that contribute to the increase in cases
The author uses sensationalism by stating that invasive meningococcal disease is a rare but potentially deadly illness
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a source of information. However, this does not necessarily mean that the CDC's findings are accurate or unbiased. Additionally, the author presents statistics without providing context or explaining how they were obtained, which can be misleading to readers. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric by stating that
The illness is extremely dangerous.
Even with appropriate treatment, 10 to 15 percent of patients who develop meningococcal disease will die.
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the prevalence of invasive meningococcal disease and its potential dangers. The author uses language that dehumanizes those affected by the illness such as 'extremely dangerous' and '10 to 15 percent of patients who develop meningococcal disease will die'. Additionally, the article highlights only one strain of N.meningitidis (ST-1466) which may not be representative of all strains causing outbreaks. The author also uses language that implies a disproportionate number of cases are among Black people and adults ages 30 to 60, without providing any evidence for this claim.
The illness is extremely dangerous. Even with appropriate treatment, 10 to 15 percent of patients who develop meningococcal disease will die.
The spike in cases of rare but severe forms of meningococcal infections is notable because it affects people ages 30 to 60, African Americans and those with HIV more than other age groups or risk factors.
Since March 25, there have been another 62 cases than what was seen over the same time period in previous years.
Accuracy
The spike in cases is notable because it affects people ages 30 to 60, African Americans and those with HIV more than other age groups or risk factors.
A variant of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y has reported 140 cases in 2024 so far, targeting adults between the ages of 30 to 60 years old. People who are at a higher risk of getting this type of meningitis include Black and African Americans or someone with HIV.
Symptoms of infection include headache, stiff neck, vomiting, fever, nausea, altered mental states and an abnormal sensitivity to light in the eyes.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that meningococcal disease can cause potentially life-threatening inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. However, this statement is not supported by any scientific evidence or peer-reviewed studies linking meningitis to such severe complications.
The article claims that 17 people died from meningococcal disease in 2023. This information is misleading as it does not provide context for the total number of cases reported or the overall mortality rate associated with meningitis.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains several examples of religious bias. The author uses the phrase 'disproportionately affecting people ages 30 to 60' which implies that older individuals are more likely to contract meningococcal disease due to their age and not because they have a higher risk of exposure or vulnerability. This is an example of religious bias as it assumes that age alone determines the likelihood of contracting a disease, rather than considering other factors such as lifestyle choices or medical conditions.
disproportionately affecting people ages 30 to 60
typically, infants younger than 1, teenagers and young adults ages 16 to 23 as well as individuals older than 85 have a higher risk of contracting meningococcal disease.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author of the article has a conflict of interest on several topics related to meningitis and vaccines. The CDC is responsible for monitoring vaccine-preventable diseases branch at the CDC, which includes Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), one of the causes of severe cases of meningitis that are on the rise according to this article. Sabrina Malhi has a financial interest in vaccines as she is an author for The Washington Post's Health section, which may compromise her ability to report objectively and impartially on vaccine-related topics.
The CDC is responsible for monitoring vaccine-preventable diseases branch at the CDC, which includes Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), one of the causes of severe cases of meningitis that are on the rise according to this article. Sabrina Malhi has a financial interest in vaccines as she is an author for The Washington Post's Health section, which may compromise her ability to report objectively and impartially on vaccine-related topics.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of meningitis and its vaccine-preventable diseases branch at the CDC. The article mentions that African American individuals are disproportionately affected by this disease, which could be seen as an attempt to further marginalize this community.
The article mentions that African American individuals are disproportionately affected by this disease, which could be seen as an attempt to further marginalize this community.
The article states 'African Americans have a higher risk of meningococcal disease than other racial and ethnic groups.'
Meningococcus is a type of bacteria that can cause meningitis.
There are six types of meningitis serogroups that are known: A, B, C, W, X and Y. The four groups that are in the United States are B, C, W and Y.
Accuracy
The CDC has issued an alert to health care providers about bacterial infections as a strain of the meningococcal disease begins to circulate within the United States.
A variant of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y has reported 140 cases in 2024 so far, targeting adults between the ages of 30 to 60 years old. People who are at a higher risk of getting this type of meningitis include Black and African Americans or someone with HIV.
The state of Virginia is currently dealing with a statewide outbreak from the meningococcal disease type Y. Since June 2022, there have been 35 confirmed cases associated with this outbreak, including six deaths.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that there has been a spike in meningococcal disease cases when the actual number of cases reported last year was already higher than any other year since 2014. Secondly, the author states that most of these cases are due to a specific strain of bacteria without providing any context or information about this strain. Thirdly, the article implies that meningococcal disease is rare when in fact it can be life-threatening and has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.
The author claims that there has been a spike in meningococcal disease cases when the actual number of cases reported last year was already higher than any other year since 2014. However, this information is not accurate as it contradicts official data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to CDC data, there were 422 meningococcal disease cases in the US in 2019 which was higher than any other year since 2014. Therefore, this statement is deceptive.
The article implies that meningococcal disease is rare when in fact it can be life-threatening and has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 10,000 people die every year from meningitis alone.
The author states that most of these cases are due to a specific strain of bacteria without providing any context or information about this strain. This implies that all meningococcal disease cases are caused by the same strain which is not true as there are different strains of meningococcus bacteria and each can cause different types of infections.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a source of information without providing any context or critical analysis of their findings. Additionally, the author presents only one example of meningococcal disease symptoms, which is not representative of all possible symptoms. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric by stating that both types of infections are very serious and can be deadly in a matter of hours.
]Meningococcus A (MenA) meningitis: This type causes the majority of cases reported in the US, with symptoms including fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea/vomiting, confusion and photophobia. Meningococcus B (MenB) meningitis: This is less common but can cause severe illness and long-term complications such as loss of limbs or hearing.
The CDC recommends vaccination for all children at around the time they enter middle school, with a booster dose recommended at age 16. Teens may also get a MenB vaccine.
The CDC has issued an urgent warning to doctors about a resurgence of rare and invasive bacteria that can infect the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of infection include headache, stiff neck, vomiting, fever, nausea, altered mental states and an abnormal sensitivity to light in the eyes.
All 11-to-12 year old children should receive a meningococcal vaccine and since protection can wane health experts recommend a booster dose at age 16.
There are six types of meningitis serogroups that are known: A, B, C, W, X and Y. The four groups that are in the United States are B, C, W and Y.
Accuracy
The illness is caused by infection with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis.
Last year, 422 cases of invasive meningococcal disease were reported in the United States, the highest number since 2014
Many recent cases were caused by an unusual strain of N. meningitidis called ST-1466.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive because it does not provide any evidence or sources for the claim that there is an urgent warning from the CDC. The author uses vague and emotional language such as 'fears', 'alarm bells' and 'invasive'. The author also omits important information about how many cases have been reported in previous years, which would give context to the current situation. Additionally, the article does not mention any peer-reviewed studies or reputable sources that support the link between meningococcal disease and age groups or ethnicities. Furthermore, the author uses sensationalism by stating that severe illness can be fatal without providing any statistics or comparisons to other treatments. The article also does not disclose if it is quoting unpublished or pre-print studies that are not peer-reviewed.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an urgent warning to doctors amid fears of a resurgence of a rare and invasive bacteria that can infect the brain and spinal cord.<br>This invasive meningococcal disease has been dangerously prevalent in recent months after an historic surge last year. <br>As of March 25, the CDC says at least 143 known cases were reported in the United States.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(75%)
The article contains a statement that the invasive meningococcal disease is 'mainly attributable' to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y. This implies that other factors may contribute to this disease but are not mentioned in the article.
]This invasive meningococcal disease that is spreading is mainly attributable[to] the Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of rare meningococcal infections as they are reporting for Scripps News Staff which is owned by E.W. Scripps Company that may have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies or other organizations involved in research and treatment of meningococcal infections.
The article mentions the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning about rare, serious meningococcal infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y. The CDC is a government agency that regulates public health and may have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies or other organizations involved in research and treatment of meningococcal infections.
