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Sustained reduction in the carriage of Neisseria meningitidis as a result of a community meningococcal disease control programme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 1998

K. R. NEAL ,
D. J. IRWIN ,
S. DAVIES ,
E. B. KACZMARSKI  and
M. C. J. WALE
K. R. NEAL
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
D. J. IRWIN
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Rotherham Health Authority, Rotherham, UK Current address: Department of Public Health and Clinical Policy, North Essex Health Authority, Witham, Essex, UK.
S. DAVIES
Affiliation:
Sheffield Public Health Laboratory, Sheffield, UK
E. B. KACZMARSKI
Affiliation:
Meningococcal Reference Unit, Manchester Public Health Laboratory, Manchester, UK
M. C. J. WALE
Affiliation:
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre–Trent, Nottingham, UK
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Abstract

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The effect of a community intervention programme of antibiotics and meningitis vaccine on pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis was investigated. Carriage rates were determined in pupils at both secondary schools (ages 11–18 years) included in the community intervention programme and compared with two schools outside the area matched for socio-economic status. A total of 1869 pupils were studied 6 months after the programmes, and 2457 pupils after 11 months.

Six months after the programme was completed there was a 72% reduction in pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in pupils attending the schools in the intervention area compared with pupils in the control schools. After 11 months this difference persisted in the 11–14 age group but not in the 15–18 age group. No resistance to the antibiotics used in the programme was found.

A community intervention programme of antibiotics and vaccine for the control of meningococcal disease led to a long-term reduction in Neisseria meningitidis carriage in some age groups.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 121 , Issue 3 , December 1998 , pp. 487 - 493
Copyright
© 1998 Cambridge University Press