title: Outbreak of meningococcal disease associated with an elementary school -- Oklahoma, March 2010.
abstract: During March 10-31, 2010, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) investigated an outbreak of meningococcal (Neisseria meningitidis) disease involving a consolidated school district of 1,850 students in rural northeastern Oklahoma. An OSDH field investigation team and the Rogers County Health Department (RCHD) established operations at the affected elementary school as soon as the outbreak was recognized. Five cases of meningococcal disease (including one probable case) were identified among four elementary school students and one high school student. Two students died; two recovered fully, and one survivor required amputation of all four limbs and facial reconstruction. All N. meningitidis isolates were serogroup C with the same multilocus sequence type and an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern. To interrupt the outbreak, mass vaccination and chemoprophylaxis clinics were conducted in the population at risk; 1,459 vaccinations and 1,063 courses of antibiotics were administered. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program received 1,092 of the vaccine doses, demonstrating that VFC is a feasible funding source for vaccine during an outbreak response.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines