Los Angeles County Public Health officials are encouraging gay and bisexual men to get meningococcal vaccinations after 17 cases of invasive meningococcal have been confirmed in the county this year, including 12 in the last two months, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Of the confirmed cases, eight have occurred in gay or bisexual men. Seven of those infections took place in the last two months.
According to the LA Times, Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, the interim director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said at a news conference, "In L.A. County, since May, the number of these infections among men, most of whom have identified themselves as gay or bisexual, is substantially more than we would normally expect during this time of the year. This is of great concern."
L.A. County Public Health is recommending that all gay and bisexual men who have multiple sexual partners get vaccinated, as well as all individuals who are HIV-positive as their weakened immune system makes them particularly susceptible to infection. The reason for the high number of invasive meningococcal cases among gay and bisexual men is not known.
Robert Bolan, MD, medical director for the L.A. LGBT Center, said, "I want us to be busy. I want the doors to be bursting at the seams. I want people to come in and be vaccinated now. Please do this. It's important."
Invasive meningococcal is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. While it can cause inflammation of the brain or spine — meningitis — the infection can also result in the more dangerous, tissue-damaging condition sepsis. It spreads via the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions between individuals.
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