Meningococcal disease in catalonia 1 year after mass vaccination campaign with meningococcal group C polysaccharide vaccine.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of meningococcal disease in Catalonia (Spain) after vaccination with the polysaccharide vaccine.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cases were collected by the Statutory Diseases Reporting System.

RESULTS

176 cases were reported, an overall incidence of 2.9/100,000 persons/year. 60% of cases occurred during winter and spring. The case fatality rate was 6.3%. The highest age incidence was in children under 2 years of age (48/100,000 persons/year). Comparison of the cases detected by the Statutory Diseases Reporting System with those obtained by the Microbiological Reporting System shows that meningococcal disease surveillance in Catalonia was relatively complete (95.7%), with a positive predictive value of 66.3%. 115 cases (65%) were culture-confirmed with a rate of 1.9/100,000 persons/year. 86 (75%) cases were due to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B and 21 to serogroup C (18%).

CONCLUSION

Although infections due to serogroup C have decreased after mass vaccination with the polysaccharide vaccine, it is likely that the number of infections will decrease further with the conjugate meningococcal group C vaccine.