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Meningitis vaccination recommendation for gay men extended to Minnesota as outbreak spreads
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated in the state after it recorded its first death from a strain of invasive bacterial meningitis, also known as meningococcal disease, that has flared up in major US cities in recent years including Los Angeles and New York City.
Minnesota’s first victim was a HIV positive man in his 40’s who died in mid-July.
He was found to be carrying the same strain of bacterial meningitis that caused seven people to be hospitalized in Chicago earlier this year – killing at least one of them.
Authorities fear that there may be more cases out in the community that are yet to be discovered and are urging men who have sex with men (MSM) in the state to get vaccinated to reduce their risk of being affected.
Men who have casual sexual encounters with strangers and those who are HIV positive are considered to be at greater risk of becoming infected with the disease.
‘We believe that the MSM community in Minnesota may be at increased risk for meningococcal disease,’ MDH infectious disease division director Kristen Ehresmann said in a statement.
‘We want to try to head off the possibility of an outbreak occurring here, so we strongly encourage all MSM, especially those who are HIV positive, to go get vaccinated.’
The disease is spread via saliva so it can be acquired by kissing, sharing drinks or cigarettes or being in close proximity with someone who is infected for extended periods of time.
People can have invasive meningitis for between two and ten days before symptoms appear and these include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and an altered mental status or confusion.
Meningitis causes accuse inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and particularly invasive strains of bacterial meningitis have been identified in the United States.
Around 10% to 15% of those who catch invasive bacterial meningitis will die even with proper medical attention and 20% of those who survive will do so with some permanent injury such as brain damage, hearing loss or the loss of a limb.
If you live in Minnesota and want to get vaccinated you can search for your nearest clinic on the department’s website here
The post Meningitis vaccination recommendation for gay men extended to Minnesota as outbreak spreads appeared first on Gay Star News.
Andrew Potts
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