Reported cases of the disease that causes meningitis among gay and bisexual men on both U.S. coasts have LGBT people across the country on alert, but Chicago officials say that no case has been reported in Chicago.
Public health officials have been on alert since Brett Shaad, a 33-year-old West Hollywood lawyer died April 12 after attending an Easter gathering for gay men in Los Angeles, according to the L.A. Times.
Meningitis cases have been headline news among LGBTs since September, when New York City's health department alerted citizens to four cases of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men.
Cases on opposite sides of the country have sparked fears of an outbreak among gay and bisexual men.
In the wake of those cases, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed that no cases had been reported in the city.
Dr. Julie Morita, medical director of CDPH said that it remains unclear why New York and L.A. have seen cases among gay and bisexual men.
"In Chicago, we haven't seen the disease in that group right now," Morita said.
Last year, Chicago had 10 reported cases of meningococcal disease, Morita said. Those cases were not among men who have sex with men (MSMs).
Chicago has yet to see a single case this year.
Health institutions are required to report cases of meningococcal disease, which tends to impact teens.
Morita said that despite the costal cases, gay and bisexual men in Chicago still face higher risks of contracting influenza than meningococcal disease.
"They should be reassured that we haven't had cases in Chicago," Morita said.
She encouraged frequent hand washing and safe sex.
Those at high risk of contracting the disease can get vaccinated. Among MSMs in cities that have seen cases, that includes men who have used social media apps to hook up, said Morita.
Information on meningococcal meningitis from CDPH:
When someone has meningococcal meningitis, the protective membranes covering their brain and spinal cord become infected and swell. The symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as
-Nausea
-Vomiting
-Photophobia (increased sensitivity to light)
-Altered mental status (confusion)
The symptoms of meningococcal meningitis can appear quickly or over several days.
Another common outcome of meningococcal infection is bloodstream infection, either septicemia or bacteremia. The more serious of the two is septicemia. When someone has meningococcal septicemia, the bacteria enter the bloodstream and multiply, damaging the walls of the blood vessels and causing bleeding into the skin and organs.
Symptoms may include:
-Fatigue
-Vomiting
-Cold hands and feet
-Cold chills
-Severe aches or pain in the muscles, joints, chest or abdomen (belly)
-Rapid breathing
-Diarrhea
In the later stages, a dark purple rash