title: Risk factors associated with a school-related outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease.
abstract: An outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis sero-group C disease occurred in four eighth grade students and in a younger sibling of another eighth grade student attending an intermediate school (seventh and eighth grades) in Santa Clara County, CA. Four cases had onset within 3 days in January, 1989, with the fifth case occurring approximately 10 days later. A case-control study was performed to determine risk factors associated with serogroup C meningococcal infection (disease or carriage) in this eighth grade class. Students were more likely to be infected if they had had a preceding viral-like respiratory illness characterized by fever (odds ratio (OR) 5.3, P = 0.03) or cough (OR 5.1, P = 0.048). A ski trip (OR 6.3, P = 0.01) and a poster-making session for a school dance (OR 3.7, P = 0.08) were identified as possible settings for a common exposure. Spending time with two specific students during lunchtime or outside of school was associated with an increased risk of infection (OR 7.0, P = 0.054; OR 5.8, P = 0.04).
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Slaten
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Reingold
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Fenstersheib
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D012293:Rifampin