[Meningococcal carrier state and meningococcal diseases in a military unit].

In four recently formed military units pharyngeal meningococcal carrier state and dynamics of nasopharyngeal meningococcal infections have been examined. Carrier state found in at least 50% of recruits at their entering the army has been increased during the first two months for 10-26.4% and it was associated with very significant dynamics of meningococcal infection: changes in carrier state during the first two months have been found in 61.3% of soldiers with very marked changes in distribution of some meningococcal serologic groups among isolated species. Two months later stagnation and lower percentage of the carrier state was observed together with reducing dynamics of meningococcal infection. Meningococcal disease did not occur in the examined environment and this was explained by the absence of virulent meningococcal serotypes. It was concluded that in the risk for meningococcal disease evaluation final identification of meningococcal species isolated from patients and their contacts should be made aiming to timely detection of species known to have significant degree of virulence.