First, the good news. The cause of death most distinctive to the Pacific Northwest, relative to the rest of the country, is exceedingly rare. The bad news: it can also be pretty gruesome.

Not many people worry about meningococcal infections, and for good reason. Each year, only 26 to 76 cases are reported in Washington, causing one to eight deaths. However, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, the death rate in Washington and Oregon related to these infections – best known as the cause of meningitis – was almost triple the national average between 2000 and 2010.