title: Notes from the Field: Expanded Chemoprophylaxis Offered in Response to a Case of Meningococcal Meningitis in an Elementary School - Indiana, 2015.
abstract: On December 11, 2015, the Fort Wayne-Allen County (Indiana) Department of Health was notified by a local hospital laboratory of a suspected case of meningococcal meningitis based on Gram stain results of cerebrospinal fluid. The county health department interviewed close family members and friends of the patient to establish an infectious period, timeline of events, and possible exposures. Close medical and household contacts were offered chemoprophylaxis (1). This case was associated with an elementary school. The patient had intermittent, close, potentially face-to-face contact with many students, and was reported to have had a persistent, productive cough throughout the exposure period. In light of these unusual circumstances, and the fact that elementary school-aged children are not routinely vaccinated against meningococcal disease,* local and state health officials, with CDC support, decided to offer chemoprophylaxis to the patient's contacts. A total of 581 child and adult contacts were identified.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: McMahan
authors.forename: Erika D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Pitcher
authors.forename: Mindy R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Waldron
authors.forename: Amanda S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Billman
authors.forename: Shawn M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Pamela R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pontones
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Duwve
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012574:Schools
chemical_list: D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D012293:Rifampin