A case of meningitis in Pesaro

A 52-year-old male patient is currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit in the Pesaro area, having been diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. The case was confirmed by the Prevention Department of the AST Pesaro-Urbino and the patient first exhibited symptoms during the night of 31 December 2024 to 1 January 2025, shortly after attending a New Year’s Eve party in a nightclub in Montecchio, province of Pesaro, Italy. In response, health authorities have initiated the protocol to contain the risk of further infections. Five close contacts of the patient have been identified and received antibiotic prophylaxis. No additional cases have been reported. The Prevention Department has issued an official communication to family doctors, the medical guard, and emergency rooms regarding all those who attended the New Year’s Eve party. Following the stipulated health protocols, health surveillance will continue until the tenth day following the initial exposure of contacts to the designated “index case”. Augusto Liverani, the head of the Hygiene, Public Health and Prevention Complex Operational Unit of the AST Pesaro-Urbino, has sought to allay public concerns, emphasising the rarity of secondary cases of invasive meningococcal disease.