Characterization of Neisseria meningitidis isolates and clinical features of meningococcal conjunctivitis in ten patients.

Cases of meningococcal conjunctivitis occurring in Denmark in the period 1982-1991 were reviewed. In a survey of laboratory reports, ten cases were identified. The meningococcal strains were characterized by serological grouping, typing and subtyping, and by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Five cases were caused by serogroup B meningococci (B:15:P1.16, B:15:P1.6, B:4:P1.15) and five cases by serogroup C meningococci (C:2a:P1.2 (4 strains), C:14:NST). The median age of the patients was 12.5 months (range 7 days to 9 years). Signs of conjunctivitis were predominant; in addition, five of the patients had fever and general malaise. In one patient the same strain was recovered from blood and eye secretions. None of the patients had signs of meningitis. All meningococcal strains isolated from patients with meningococcal conjunctivitis were assumed to be virulent and had the same characteristics as strains causing meningococcal disease in Denmark within the same period.