title: [Meningococcal disease in the Netherlands: media hype, but not an epidemic].
abstract: An outbreak of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C, type 2a recently occurred in the Dutch province of West-Brabant. Five children were affected and two of these died. The Outbreak Management Team decided to start a local vaccination campaign with a meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine. The publicity surrounding these cases of meningococcal disease led to much anxiety throughout the Netherlands. Despite parent's concerns, there is nothing to indicate the presence of an epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Medisch Centrum, Postbus 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam. am.vfurth@vumc.nl
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van Furth
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zaaijer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011639:Public Opinion; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C410218:serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine