The Department of Public Health has confirmed a total of eight cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Los Angeles County so far this year, including four cases reported among men who have sex with men (MSM), of which three men who were HIV-positive, officials said. Of the four IMD cases among MSM, three reported either residence in or socializing around the West Hollywood and North Hollywood areas, according to health officials. One of the four MSM cases was reportedly 50 years old, while the other three were between 27 and 28 years old. Public Health director Dr. Jonathan Fielding recommended the meningococcal vaccine for men in the Los Angeles gay community — regardless of HIV status — who “regularly have close or intimate contact with multiple partners, or who seek partners through the use of digital applications, particularly those who share cigarettes, marijuana or use illegal drugs.”
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