Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 carriage among US travelers to the 2001 Hajj.
In 2000, a large international outbreak of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 was identified among pilgrims returning from the Hajj in Saudi Arabia. To assess ongoing risk, we evaluated N. meningitidis carriage among US travelers to the 2001 Hajj. Of 25 N. meningitidis isolates obtained, 15 (60%) were nongroupable and 8 (32%) were serogroup W-135 when tested by standard slide-agglutination techniques. Two additional nongroupable isolates were characterized as serogroup W-135 when tested by polymerase chain reaction. Nine of 10 serogroup W-135 isolates were indistinguishable from the Hajj-2000 clone. None of the departing, but 9 (1.3%) of the returning, pilgrims carried serogroup W-135 (P=.01); all carriers reported previous vaccination. Carriage of N. meningitidis serogroup W-135 increased significantly in pilgrims returning from the Hajj. Although the risk of disease to pilgrims appears to be low, the risk of spread to others of this pathogenic strain remains a concern.
Dull
Peter M
PM
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Program Office, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Abdelwahab
Jalaa'
J
Sacchi
Claudio T
CT
Becker
Margaret
M
Noble
Corie A
CA
Barnett
Gwen A
GA
Kaiser
Robyn M
RM
Mayer
Leonard W
LW
Whitney
Anne M
AM
Schmink
Susanna
S
Ajello
Gloria W
GW
Dolan-Livengood
Jennifer
J
Stephens
David S
DS
Cetron
Marty S
MS
Popovic
Tanja
T
Rosenstein
Nancy E
NE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D038582:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup W-135 / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012703:Serotyping; D014195:Travel; D014481:United States