We just had our second incident in the past 6 months in the ED or inpatient units where patients on vents grow out N men as part of the rest of the sepsis or resp failure workups…without invasive meningococcal disease.

We did a fairly good job of characterizing the exposures and distributed a limited number of doses of Cipro.

That being said, these were incidental findings, and I believe that the risk of occupationally acquired meningococcal disease like what happened in Oakland a while back was really low.  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5945a2.htm

We erred on the side of caution and reassurance in the decision making to prophylax.  “Ya had to be there.”

I don’t think I would have done anything differently, but wondering how other approach.


Ed

 

Edward I. Galaid, MD, MPH
ABIM, ABPM

Medical Director, Occupational Health Partners

Roper St. Francis Healthcare   Charleston, SC

Member, ACOEM Task Group on Medical Guidance for Law Enforcement Officers

Member, NFPA 1582 Writing Group - NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Fighter Safety and Health

843-906-0519

 



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