title: Meningococcal serotypes and serogroup B disease in north-west Europe.
abstract: Examination of the trends of meningococcal infection in Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, England and Wales, and the Netherlands, has shown that Neisseria meningitidis B:2b:P1.2 and/or B:2a:P1.2 phenotypes were associated with peaks of infection in the Netherlands in 1966, in Iceland 1976-77, and in England and Wales in 1973-75. These strains were present in all six countries in the decade 1970-80 but their prevalence is now practically negligible. In contrast the prevalence of the B:15:P1.16 phenotype has risen. In the Faroe Islands and northern Norway this change in serotype prevalence has been followed by rises in incidence of meningococcal disease; the same is happening in England and Wales but not yet in the other countries.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification*; D009426:Netherlands; D009664:Norway; D014852:Wales