[Estimation of Neisseria meningitidis carriers among healthy subjects in contact with patients with meningococcal sepsis in the Madrid area].

We have studied 238 asymptomatic school children which had come in contact with one of 5 cases of meningococcal sepsis, which occurred between January 1992 to May 1992. The study was performed at the corresponding schools and oropharynx samples were immediately put into Thayer-Martin agar plates. The cases were identified as serotype C in three occasions and type B in two cases. The total carrier prevalence was 1.68%, all of which were serotype B. We did not find a significant relationship between asymptomatic carriers and meningococcal sepsis cases. In addition, all contacts were treated with rifampin. Control cultures were made after 15 days of the treatment and 100% of the carriers had negative cultures.