title: Outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis capsular group W among scouts returning from the World Scout Jamboree, Japan, 2015.
abstract: The 23rd World Scout Jamboree was held in Japan from 28 July to 8 August 2015 and was attended by over 33,000 scouts from 162 countries. An outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease capsular group W was investigated among participants, with four confirmed cases identified in Scotland, who were all associated with one particular scout unit, and two confirmed cases in Sweden; molecular testing showed the same strain to be responsible for illness in both countries. The report describes the public health action taken to prevent further cases and the different decisions reached with respect to how wide to extend the offer of chemoprophylaxis in the two countries; in Scotland, chemoprophylaxis was offered to the unit of 40 participants to which the four cases belonged and to other close contacts of cases, while in Sweden chemoprophylaxis was offered to all those returning from the Jamboree. The report also describes the international collaboration and communication required to investigate and manage such multinational outbreaks in a timely manner.
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith-Palmer
authors.affiliation: NHS Highland, Inverness, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oates
authors.affiliation: NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: NHS Shetland, Lerwick, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: International Health Regulations National Focal Point, Public Health England, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parcell
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindstrand
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallensten
authors.affiliation: National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fredlund
authors.affiliation: County Council Medical Officer, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Micael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Widerström
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McMenamin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011634:Public Health; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Neisseria meningitidis; mass gatherings