title: Persistence of W135 Neisseria meningitidis carriage in returning Hajj pilgrims: risk for early and late transmission to household contacts.
abstract: After an outbreak of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis W135, associated with the Hajj pilgrimage in 2001, 15% of returning vaccinated pilgrims carried a single W135 clone, and 55% were still carriers 6 months later. Transmission to 8% of their unvaccinated household contacts occurred within the first few weeks, but no late transmission took place. Public health interventions are needed to protect household contacts.
authors.affiliation: Head, Travellers' Health and Vaccination Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore. epvws@pacific.net.sg
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilder-Smith
authors.forename: Timothy M S
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Barkham
authors.forename: Sindhu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravindran
authors.forename: Arul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Earnest
authors.forename: Nicholas I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Paton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014195:Travel