Space-time cluster analysis of invasive meningococcal disease.
Clusters are recognized when meningococcal cases of the same phenotypic strain (markers: serogroup, serotype, and subtype) occur in spatial and temporal proximity. The incidence of such clusters was compared to the incidence that would be expected by chance by using space-time nearest-neighbor analysis of 4,887 confirmed invasive meningococcal cases identified in the 9-year surveillance period 1993-2001 in the Netherlands. Clustering beyond chance only occurred among the closest neighboring cases (comparable to secondary cases) and was small (3.1%, 95% confidence interval 2.1%-4.1%).
Hoebe
Christian J P A
CJ
Eastern South Limburg Municipal Public Health Service, Heerlen, the Netherlands. hoebec@ggdozl.nl
de Melker
Hester
H
Spanjaard
Lodewijk
L
Dankert
Jacob
J
Nagelkerke
Nico
N
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013029:Space-Time Clustering