Men With HIV-positive Status Are at High Risk of Meningococcal Disease

According to the american research, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, MSM  is at high risk of meningococcal disease, and the risk is even higher if a man has HIV-positive status. Meningococcal disease appears quite more frequent among MSM community, if compared to non-MSM, and the risk grows even higher for those who has HIV-positive status.

Global Meningococcal Initiative recommend all HIV-positive people to be vaccinated with quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine; especially in sub-Saharan region, where the prevalence of meningococcal disease is high enough, and also to MSN community.

The bacteria, causing Meningococcal disease, can locate in saliva, so Meningococcal disease could be transmitted through kissing or sexual contact.

“Clinicians and public health authorities should continue to increase awareness of meningococcal disease among MSM, identify vaccination strategies and other public health measures to protect MSM during outbreaks of meningococcal disease in this population, and encourage routine vaccination of all HIV-infected MSM with a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine.” - said the specialists.

More details about  the risk of meningococcal disease among MSM with HIV-positive status you can find in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.