Meningitis outbreak prompts change in vaccine recommendations

In 2012, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) calculated a troubling statistic: the rate of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in men who have sex with men (MSM) was about 50 times higher than the rate of IMD in the rest of the adult male population. Four new cases of IMD were reported in New York City’s MSM population since January of this year, and three of the last five cases died. Invasive meningococcal disease typically causes meningitis, an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is actually a symptom of or response to something else, usually a bacterial or viral infection. It can also be caused by physical trauma, cancer, or drugs. It is potentially fatal and can be contagious to close contacts, such as housemates or sex partners. In this outbreak, the infected men are suffering from both meningitis and blood poisoning....