[Epidemiology and therapy of infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis].

In spite of the progress in antibiotic therapy and immunoprophylaxis Neisseria meningitidis remains one of the major causes of meningitis and sepsis burdened by high mortality. In this paper characteristics of N. meningitidis and in particular its epidemiology, virulence factors, antibiotic therapy and resistance mechanisms, immuno- and chemoprophylaxis, are discussed. Data from the National Reference Centre for Bacterial Meningitis are also presented. These data indicate that this pathogen is the most common laboratory confirmed bacterial etiologic agent of community-acquired meningitis in Poland.