title: A Case-Control Study on the Risk Factors for Meningococcal Disease among Children in Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify environmental or genetic risk factors that are associated with invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in children in Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was performed in 133 children (44 cases and 89 controls) aged between 0-14 years, who were hospitalized in a children's hospital in Athens. Demographics and possible risk factors were collected by the use of a structured questionnaire. To investigate the association of mannose binding lectin (MBL) with IMD, a frequency analysis of the haplotypes of the MBL2 gene and quantitative measurement of MBL serum protein levels were performed using Nanogen NanoChipR 400 technology and immuno-enzyme techniques, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multivariate analysis revealed that changes in a child's life setting (relocation or vacation, OR = 7.16), paternal smoking (OR = 4.51), upper respiratory tract infection within the previous month (OR = 3.04) and the density of people in the house/100m2 (OR = 3.16), were independent risk factors associated with IMD. Overall 18.8% of patients had a MBL2 genotype with low functionality compared to 10.1% of healthy controls, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.189).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevention strategies aimed at reducing parental smoking and other risk factors identified in this study could decrease the risk of IMD among children in Greece.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hadjichristodoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mpalaouras
authors.affiliation: Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasilopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsioulis
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rachiotis
authors.affiliation: Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Theodoridou
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre for Meningitis, National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tzanakaki
authors.affiliation: Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Syriopoulou
authors.affiliation: Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theodoridou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: C445619:MBL2 protein, human; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution