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Clinical characteristics and public health management of invasive meningococcal group W disease in the East Midlands region of England, United Kingdom, 2011 to 2013

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posted on 2016-07-04, 11:28 authored by Jane Bethea, S. Makki, S. Gray, V. MacGregor, S. Ladhani
In England and Wales, meningococcal disease caused by group W has historically been associated with outbreaks of disease among travellers to high-risk countries. Following a large outbreak associated with travel to the Hajj in 2000, the number of cases declined and, in 2008, only 19 laboratory-confirmed cases were identified nationally. In 2013, in the East Midlands region of England, eight cases of meningococcal disease caused by this serogroup were recorded, compared with six from 2011 to 2012. To explore this further, data for all cases with a date of onset between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013 were collected. Data collected included geographical location, clinical presentation and outcome. Fourteen cases were identified; two died as a result of their illness and two developed long-term health problems. No commonality in terms of geographical location, shared space or activities was identified, suggesting that group W is circulating endemically with local transmission. Clinical presentation was variable. Half presented with symptoms not typical of a classical meningococcal disease, including two cases of cellulitis, which may have implications for clinicians, in terms of timely identification and treatment, and public health specialists, for offering timely antibiotic chemoprophylaxis to close contacts.

History

Citation

Eurosurveillance, 2016, 21 (24)

Author affiliation

/Organisation/COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND PSYCHOLOGY/School of Medicine/Department of Health Sciences

Version

  • VoR (Version of Record)

Published in

Eurosurveillance

Publisher

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

eissn

1560-7917;1025-496X

Acceptance date

2016-02-15

Copyright date

2016

Available date

2016-07-04

Publisher version

http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=22504

Language

en

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