title: How complete and accurate is meningococcal disease notification?
abstract: Effective public health control of meningococcal disease (meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia) is dependent on complete, accurate and speedy notification. Using capture-recapture techniques this study assesses the completeness, accuracy and timeliness of meningococcal notification in a health authority. The completeness of meningococcal disease notification was 94.8% (95% confidence interval 93.2% to 96.2%); 91.2% of cases in 2001 were notified within 24 hours of diagnosis, but 28.0% of notifications in 2001 were false positives. Clinical staff need to be aware of the public health implications of a notification of meningococcal disease, and of failure of, or delay in notification. Incomplete or delayed notification not only leads to inaccurate data collection but also means that important public health measures may not be taken. A clinical diagnosis of meningococcal disease should be carefully considered between the clinician and the consultant in communicable disease control (CCDC). Otherwise, prophylaxis may be given unnecessarily, disease incidence inflated, and the benefits of control measures underestimated. Consultants in communicable disease control (CCDCs), in conjunction with clinical staff, should de-notify meningococcal disease if the diagnosis changes.
authors.affiliation: Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Unit. emerbreen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghebrehewet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.forename: A P J
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors