MENINGOCOCCAL CARRIAGE - PREVALENCE AND SEX-RELATED RISK-FACTORS

A retrospective analysis was done to examine whether sexual behaviour was associated with meningococcal carriage. Over the 4 month period fr om January to April 1994, 136 (27.4%) of the 496 consecutive new/re-re gistered genito-urinary medicine clinic attenders showed meningococcal carriage. Two (15.4%) of 13 homosexual men compared with 134 (27.7%) of 484 heterosexual men and women had evidence of meningococcal carria ge. Relative risk (RR) of meningococcal carriage was 1.8 with >10 life time partners and 1.2 with 3-10 partners (P<0.007). RR with age group of 16-25 was 4.2 and for 26-35 it was 3.5. There was no relationship w ith meningococcal carriage and pharyngeal symptoms, sexual orientation , intravenous drug use, number of partners per month and orogenital se x. Further longitudinal studies may be of value in order to determine whether a high number of sexual partners is a marker for meningococcal carriage. In addition, further study may show whether there is an inc reased risk of meningococcal carriage and disease in those who live wi th meningococcal carriers.