[Duration of the Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B serotype 2 carrier state].

Of 168 examined secondary school children from Zagreb, Neisseria meningitidis, serogroup B, serotype 2 was isolated from the pharynx smear taken from 14 healthy carriers, aged 15-18. Carriership was observed during the period of 19 months. During that period the pharynx smear was taken four times so that in total there were five samples from each examinee, with the purpose of finding Neisseria. Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, serotype 2 was isolated and identified by using the standard microbiological methods. Serogroup and serotype were identified by the slide agglutination method, and were used group and type specific antisera. Of 14 identified carriers two persons had continuous duration of carriership of N. meningitidis, serogroup B, serotype 2 during the period of nineteen months. In 6 persons over the period of 9 months, in all five samples of pharynx smear the same meningococcus was identified. This epidemiological study has determined the longest duration of carriership of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, serotype 2 described so far in the literature. The role of carriership in the occurrence of the meningococcal disease has not been fully explained.