[Evaluation of the sanative action of rifampicin on the meningococcal carrier state].

The results of the epidemiological control experiment on the efficacy of rifampicin in sanation of meningococci carriers are presented. The preliminary study of rifampicin sensitivity of 41 freshly isolated nasopharyngeal meningococcal strains showed that the MIC of the drug for 63 per cent of the isolates was 0.04--0.1 gamma/ml. Sanation was performed for 2 days; 1.2 g of the drug was used during the treatment course. The results of examination of 91 meningococci carriers showed that 4 days after the sanation the specific weight of the persons isolating no meningococci was reliably higher in the experimental group than that in the control group. The coefficient of rifampicin efficiency was 70.8 per cent. 10 days after sanation the difference in the level of the carriers isolating no meningococci in the experimental and the control groups was statistically insignificant. Therefore, the carriers treated with the drug received temporary protection from the causative agent at an average for 1 week. Later on they could become carriers again. As a result of sanation no changes in the meningococcal sensitivity to rifampicin was observed.