title: Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a semi-isolated arctic community.
abstract: The carriage of Neisseria meningitidis was examined in the Norwegian population of Svalbard (1150 persons) after a fatal case of meningococcal septicaemia. The overall carrier rate was 39.0%. The rate was highest among males (47.8%), with a maximum of 63.4% in the age group 15-24 years. The carrier rate was low among children aged 3 to 15 years (6.5%). Children below 3 years were frequent meningococcal carriers, however (37.5%). Sulphonamide-resistant strains were often found, 22.6% of the total material being resistant. Group B was the most frequent serogroup, and accounted for 44.5% of the isolated strains. Non-groupable strains were second in frequency (23.8%), followed by group Y (15.8%). Only a few strains belonged to the serogroups A, C, X and Z. N. lactamica was isolated from 26.9% of children below 15 years, but seldom in older age groups.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012737:Sex Factors; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013538:Svalbard
chemical_list: D013449:Sulfonamides