Influence of serogroup on the presentation, course, and outcome of invasive meningococcal disease in children in the Republic of Ireland, 1995-2000.
To test the hypothesis that the infecting meningococcal serogroup modulates the presentation, course, and outcome of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), we performed a retrospective review of cases of IMD in 407 children from 2 tertiary referral centers and 2 regional centers in Ireland. Patients infected with serogroup C meningococci (n=104) were older than those infected with serogroup B (n=303; median, 2.5 vs. 1.5 years; P=.04); all other demographic and clinical parameters were similar for the 2 groups. Among serogroup B patients, mortality was 3.6% and morbidity was 10%; for serogroup C patients, mortality was 4.8% and morbidity was 12.5% (P=.81 and P=.76, respectively). Serogroup C-associated sequelae more often were multiple (P=.003). Despite the introduction of serogroup C conjugate vaccine into the routine immunization schedule of some countries, ongoing morbidity from IMD is anticipated, because group B disease was very similar to group C disease in this pediatric population.
Healy
C Mary
CM
Department of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. chealy@bcm.tmc.edu
Butler
Karina M
KM
Smith
E O'Brian
EO
Hensey
Owen P
OP
Bate
Terence
T
Moloney
Anne C
AC
MacMahon
Paul
P
Cosgrove
John
J
Cafferkey
Mary T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012703:Serotyping