Fawcett S, Achong M R, Adeniyi-Jones C
Can Med Assoc J. 1980 Mar 8;122(5):541-5.
During 1978 there was a marked increase in the number of patients with meningococcal infection in the Hamilton area. Of 21 patients admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, two thirds were under 5 years of age. Four patients died. All the isolates were sulfonamide-sensitive strains of serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis. Although no infections developed in contacts, several errors were made in the management of the hospital and household contacts of the infected patients: chemoprophylaxis was given to many contacts not considered to be at risk; ineffective antibiotics, particularly penicillin, were given for chemoprophylaxis; and chemoprophylaxis was often delayed while the results of cultures of nasopharyngeal and throat secretions were awaited. Circulation to local physicians of guidelines on proven prophylactic regimens was followed by a reduction in the frequency of these errors.
1978年期间，汉密尔顿地区脑膜炎球菌感染患者数量显著增加。在汉密尔顿圣约瑟夫医院收治的21例患者中，三分之二年龄在5岁以下。4例患者死亡。所有分离株均为B群脑膜炎奈瑟菌的磺胺敏感菌株。虽然接触者中未发生感染，但在对感染患者的医院和家庭接触者的管理中出现了一些失误：对许多被认为没有风险的接触者进行了化学预防；使用了无效的抗生素，尤其是青霉素进行化学预防；在等待鼻咽和咽喉分泌物培养结果时，化学预防常常延迟。向当地医生分发经证实的预防方案指南后，这些失误的发生率有所降低。
