RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS-INFECTION AND MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE

Although viral respiratory tract infections may predispose to meningoc occal disease, strong evidence that they do so exists only for influen za. Data on laboratory reported cases of respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV) infections and meningococcal disease in England and Wales from mi d-1989 to mid-1994 were analysed. Although the rise in RSV cases prece ded the rise in meningococcal disease cases each winter; the interval between the rise and fall of the two diseases was inconsistent, no ass ociation was found between time series after removal of the seasonal c omponent, and there was no evidence that more cases of meningococcal d isease occurred in winters with more RSV disease. RSV may have less ef fect on the two most likely mechanisms whereby influenza predisposes t o meningococcal disease, namely lowered immunity and impaired pharynge al defences.