title: Determinants of case fatality rates of meningococcal disease during outbreaks in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, 1987-97.
abstract: We studied case-fatality rates (CFRs) among cases of meningococcal disease (MCD) admitted to Makkah (Saudi Arabia) hospitals during the period 1988-97. Of 483 cases, 431 (89.2%) were due to strains of serogroup A, 31 (6.4%) to serogroup W135, 16 (3.3%) to serogroup C, and 5 (10%) to serogroup B. Eighty-one patients died (case fatality rate (CFR)) 16.8%, 95% CI 13.5%, 20.4%). The CFR in infections due to serogroup A strains was 14.8%, and for other serogroups it was 32.7% (95% CI 20.3%, 47.1%). The CFR of MCD due to N. meningitidis serogroup A increased steadily with age (P<0.05). Seeking first medical help at a foreign Hajj medical mission and being treated in a non-specialized hospital were associated with a higher case fatality rate.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: El Bushra
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Hamdan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al-Jeffri
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Turkistani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Jumaily
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rahama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index