ANTIBIOTIC PRESCRIBING DURING AN OUTBREAK OF MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE

During a prolonged outbreak of meningococcal disease caused by serogro up B serotype 15 sulphonamide-resistant strains in one British health district, there was considerable variation in attack rates by town. Ge neral practitioner (GP) antibiotic prescribing rates were compared in high and low incidence towns. The only significant difference found wa s that erythromycin prescribing was more frequent in the high incidenc e towns (rate ratio 4.0, 95% CI 3.2-4.8, in March 1987 and 3.0, 95% CI 2.4-3.7, in November 1987). This was probably due to increased GP con sultation rates for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), but high er erythromycin usage may have increased meningococcal acquisition rat es or susceptibility to meningococcal disease. Antibiotic prescribing rates should be further investigated in defined areas of high and low incidence of meningococcal disease.