Summary. An outbreak of 12 cases of meningitis, 11 caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C, occurred at Doomadgee from September, 1990, to April, 1991. The incidence of meningitis was 17·55/103 person-years. Only children aged 1-10 years were affected. In October, 1990, or shortly thereafter, 473/509 children aged between 1 and 15 years inclusive had one dose of Mencevax AC. From the time of vaccination until April, 1991, a further eight cases occurred, six in vaccinated children. Vaccine efficacy in 1-15 year olds was calculated as 77%. Despite this, in April, 1991, the prevalence of antibody to group C polysaccharide in vaccinated children (78%) was not significantly different from that in unvaccinated children and adults. 46 non-responders were revaccinated, and, in February, 1992, 78% had antibodies to group C polysaccharide. In April, 1991, an estimated 3·0% of the population had group C organisms, carriage being directly related to household crowding. In June, 1991, 2 months after mass prophylaxis with rifampicin, none of these individuals were carriers. In October, 1991, the carriage rate of group C organisms was 0·64%. There have been no further cases caused by the epidemic strain. Although uncrowded housing is a basic need, mass chemoprophylaxis and two doses of vaccine for children should be used in similar outbreaks. © 1995.
CITATION STYLE
Pearce, M. C., Sheridan, J. W., Pearce, M. C., Jones, D. M., Lawrence, G. W., Murphy, D. M., … Hill, P. S. (1995). Control of group C meningococcal disease in Australian Aboriginal children by mass rifampicin chemoprophylaxis and vaccination. The Lancet, 346(8966), 20–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(95)92651-8
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