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May 1, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Army Recruit at Fort Wood Contracts Bacterial Meningitis"

St. Louis Post-Dispatch (home.post-dispatch.com) (04/30/02) P. B5; Shelton, Deborah L.

A 20-year-old Army recruit stationed at Fort Leonard Wood has contracted the Neisseria strain of bacterial meningitis, bringing to five the number of people who have been infected in the past five weeks.  The recruit became ill five days after getting vaccinated, according to Lt. Col. Michael Deaton, deputy commander of clinical services.  Military personnel are routinely vaccinated against meningitis because their close living quarters puts them at increased risk for the disease; however, the vaccine needs between 10 and 14 days to take effect.  Links between all five cases--which include three male and one female recruit, all of whom were vaccinated at the start of their training, and one 12-year-old base resident who died of the disease on March 30--are now being sought.  During the past two weeks, the Army has immunized more than 5,500 people between the ages of two and 29 years who live, work, attend school or regularly visit the base.

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