title: Trends in meningococcal disease in Italy in 1988.
abstract: Meningococcal disease in Italy decreased 15% in 1988 from the previous year (290 vs. 342 cases). The decline was particularly evident in military cases (1.7/100,000 in 1988 vs. 5/100,000 in 1987) reflecting the full coverage of bivalent serogroup (A + C) meningococcal polysaccaride vaccine in army recruits, achieved since January 1988. The highest proportion of cases was seen in people older than 25 years of age (25%). Serogroup C constituted 60% of the isolates, while 19% belonged to serogroup B. The proportion of strains resistant to sulphonamides was 45%, while 15% were resistant to Minocycline and none to Rifampin. Out of the five military cases, only one (due to serogroup C) was attributable to the vaccine failure. A single coprimary case, but no secondary cases occurred among civilians. These findings are consistent with the trends reported in Italy in the previous years.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Curianò
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Congiu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Occhionero
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastrantonio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance