Man, 31, hit by meningococcal B strain stable in hospital
AN Adelaide man is stable in hospital after being diagnosed with the meningococcal B strain, a day after a free vaccine plan was announced.
A MAN from metropolitan Adelaide aged 31 is in a stable condition in hospital after being diagnosed with the B strain of meningococcal disease.
The case comes a day after the State Government announced plans for free vaccine for infants and adolescents for the B strain, commencing from October.
SA is considered a hot spot for the B strain, and infants and adolescents are in the higher risk groups.
SA Health officials have spoken to people who had close contact with the man and two people are being given antibiotics as a precaution.
There have been 14 cases of meningococcal disease recorded so far this year, the same as this time last year, and 13 have been the B strain and one the Y strain.
The free vaccine for the B strain is expected to prevent 12 cases a year and save one life every two years — at present it costs around $500 for a full course of the vaccine.
It will be available from GPs from October for infants aged up to 12 months, as well as for children aged under four years as part of a catch up plan.
Then in early 2019, the program will include people aged 17-20, who are a high-risk group, plus a catch-up program for students in Years 10 and 11.
The scheme is the first free B strain vaccine in Australia, and the first in the world to also cover adolescents.