Possible Case Of Invasive Meningococcal Disease In Nevada, USA

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 15 Jan 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Salt Lake Valley Health Department (SLVHD) are investigating a possible case of invasive meningococcal disease following the death of a Nevada resident in a Salt Lake area hospital.

The victim was traveling on a Greyhound bus yesterday when he became ill in West Wendover, Nevada. A medical helicopter transported the victim to Intermountain Medical Center where he later died. While final lab results are still pending, the illness is consistent with invasive meningococcal disease. At this time, all identified at-risk residents of Utah have received preventive antibiotic treatments. Utah health officials do not believe there is a threat to the general public and are coordinating their investigative efforts with their counterparts in neighboring states.

Invasive meningococcal disease is relatively difficult to transmit from person to person. Studies show "at-risk" people are those who live in the same household, or have kissed or shared food, water, or cigarettes with a patient, or had direct contact with a patient's oral secretions. Fortunately, invasive meningococcal disease is a rare disease, with Utah reporting an average of about 10 cases each year.

The mission of the Utah Department of Health is to protect the public's health through preventing avoidable illness, injury, disability and premature death, assuring access to affordable, quality health care, and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Utah Department of Health