Teens at nightclub infected

With 3 new cases, Capital Health urges treatment for all teens who were at Therapy club that night

Publication title: Edmonton Journal

Pages: A1 / FRONT    Section: News

Publication date: Dec 16, 2000

ProQuest document ID: 252794232

Copyright: Copyright Southam Publications Inc. Dec 16, 2000

Author: Dennis Hryciuk and Duncan Thorne, Journal Staff Writers

Abstract:

Partiers who visited a downtown nightclub last Saturday are being warned to get antibiotic treatment no later than today as protection against meningitis, a deadly infectious disease that has killed three teens in the Edmonton area in the past year.

Anyone who attended the club, at 10028 102 St., should get antibiotics to fend off the potentially deadly disease at two clinics being set up today, said Dr. Gerry Predy, Capital Health's medical officer of health.

Symptoms of the illness might not have shown up yet for those who may have contracted it a week ago, Predy said.

Full text:

Ran with factbox "Antibiotics Won't Work After Today" which has been appended to the end of this story.

Partiers who visited a downtown nightclub last Saturday are being warned to get antibiotic treatment no later than today as protection against meningitis, a deadly infectious disease that has killed three teens in the Edmonton area in the past year.

Two 18-year-old men who contracted meningococcal infections were at the Therapy Afterhours nightclub last Saturday, say Capital Health officials who issued the health warning.

Anyone who attended the club, at 10028 102 St., should get antibiotics to fend off the potentially deadly disease at two clinics being set up today, said Dr. Gerry Predy, Capital Health's medical officer of health.

Today would be the last day that antibiotics would have any effect for those who may have contracted the disease a week ago, Predy said at a news conference.

One man who was at the nightclub is in serious condition at University Hospital, another is in stable condition. An 18-year-old woman has also developed the disease. She was not at the club but became ill while travelling to B.C. and is in good condition in a hospital in New Westminster.

Symptoms of the illness might not have shown up yet for those who may have contracted it a week ago, Predy said.

"Just because a person is feeling fine doesn't mean they don't have the disease."

The three recent victims were inoculated against the disease during widespread campaigns in February and October that saw 230,000 children and youths vaccinated in the Edmonton area. The campaign cost about $7 million.

The vaccine is only 80 to 90 per cent effective, Predy said. "We want to emphasize that vaccination alone is not a guarantee against the disease."

People take risks whenever they share drinks, cigarettes or lipstick, Predy said.  The club will be inspected to make sure it has a good supply of water and there is no overcrowding, Predy said.

Oliver Friedmann, manager of Therapy Afterhours, said he expects fewer customers this weekend because of the meningitis scare. "They're going to make the association between meningitis and our club," he said. "People get scared about it."

There's no sign the latest meningitis cases were contracted at Therapy, he said, even though the victims attended the club last Saturday.

"If the two people had both gone to an Oilers game, would there be media converging on the Oilers front office?"

Even so, he said the club will provide free drinking cups so patrons are less likely to share directly from water bottles. The club has also asked Capital Health for educational materials to distribute, and will urge its customers not to share their bottles, cigarettes or food.

Friedmann said it's wrong to suggest the infected people had attended a rave. "There might be some misinformation from Capital Health. We don't run raves."

Therapy is a nightclub that doesn't serve alcohol, he said. A rave is a one-time event, much like a rock concert.

Anyone who develops meningitis symptoms -- high fever, especially accompanied by a rash and/or stiff neck -- should get immediate medical attention.

There have been 47 cases of meningococcal infection in the Edmonton region in the last year.

ANTIBIOTICS WON'T WORK AFTER TODAY

Capital Health has set up two clinics for those who attended the Dec. 9 rave. Both are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

- Woodcroft Public Health Centre: 13221 115th Ave.

- Mill Woods Public Health Centre: 7525 38th Ave.