NEW YORK CITY: Meningitis Vaccinations Suggested For All Gay & Bisexual Men

New York City's continuing meningitis outbreak, which has now seen seven fatalities, has prompted the Department of Health to suggest vaccinations for all gay and bisexual men who hook up via social media or at bars, etc. Previously vaccinations had been suggested primarily for HIV+ men in some areas of Brooklyn.  Via press release:

The Health Department issued new recommendations today for vaccinating against invasive meningococcal disease – commonly known as meningitis – after an increase in cases. Vaccinations are now advised for men, regardless of HIV status, who regularly have intimate contact with other men met through a website, digital application (“App”), or at a bar or party.

Four new cases of meningitis among men who have sex with men have been reported since the beginning of January, bringing the total to 17 cases since 2012. There have been 22 reported cases – including seven fatal cases – since 2010.

“Meningitis symptoms usually come on quickly, and the disease can be fatal if not treated right away,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. “Vaccination is the best defense. I urge all men who meet these criteria – regardless of whether they identify as gay – to get vaccinated now and protect themselves from this disease before it is too late.”

Five members of the City Council and Speaker Christine Quinn yesterday urged the constituents of their districts to take heed.

Bloomberg's New Campaign: Loud Earbuds

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is launching a new public health campaign:

Bloomberg — who has already cracked down on smoking, junk food, trans fats, salt and super-sized drinks — is embarking on a new crusade: preventing New Yorkers from going deaf. Hizzoner’s health officials are planning a social-media campaign to warn young people about the risk of losing their hearing from listening to music at high volume on personal MP3 players, The Post has learned. “With public and private support, a public-education campaign is being developed to raise awareness about safe use of personal music players . . . and risks of loud and long listening,” said Nancy Clark, the city Health Department’s assistant commissioner of environmental-disease prevention.

The campaign is kicking off with a $250,000 grant from the Department of Health.

MICHIGAN: State Health Department Secretly Collecting Names Of HIV+

In what could completely upend all attempts to get at-risk members of the public to be tested for HIV, the Michigan Department of Community Health has been accused of storing the identities of HIV+ residents for possible use in criminal prosecutions for exposing others to the virus.  Todd Heywood reports at American Independent:

While MDCH claims the database does not contain personally identifiable information, a recent study, published last month in the University of California Press’ journal Social Problems, has found that some Michigan local health departments with access to the database are using it to pursue both civil actions – known as “health threat to others” actions – and criminal prosecutions against people living with HIV.

The study, authored by University of Michigan Ph.D. candidate Trevor Hoppe, found that the database has been used specifically to identify and target sexual or needle-sharing partners of newly diagnosed HIV-positive persons where the infected person may not have disclosed his or her status to partners; women who are HIV-positive and have become pregnant; and HIV-positive persons who have been diagnosed with other sexually transmitted infections.

Heywood notes that at least 800 state employees have access to at least part of the "confidential" HIV testing data.

RELATED: Last month a federal advisory panel passed a resolution calling on Washington to help states with efforts to decriminalize the transmission of HIV.  Thirty-two states presently have such laws. In some cases, HIV+ people have been convicted and imprisoned even though safer sex practices were adhered to and no transmission occurred.