title: Epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease in north Queensland, 1995 to 1999.
abstract: This study describes all episodes of invasive meningococcal disease (n=120) acquired in north Queensland over the 5 year period 1995 to 1999. Indigenous people had a 3-fold greater risk than others of acquiring invasive meningococcal disease. There were 7 deaths, six in non-indigenous people. The majority (72.4%) of identified isolates were serogroup B. We found no evidence of significant resistance to the antibiotics recommended for treatment or chemoprophylaxis. Two outbreaks of disease were identified, one serogroup B and one serogroup C. Compared to the previous 5 years (1990 to 1994) there were far fewer cases of serogroup C disease and a lower incidence and risk of invasive meningococcal disease among indigenous people.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Public Health Unit, Cairns, Qld. wharley@acenet.net.au
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.forename: Jeffrey N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hills
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Helen V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping