Factors associated with pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis among Israel Defense Force personnel at the end of their compulsory service

In this 1 year cross-sectional study of personnel being discharged from com pulsory military service, an available database of health-related informati on was used to examine the association of meningococcal carriage with socio -demographic factors. A representative, systematic sample of 1632 personnel was interviewed and had throat cultures taken. The overall meningococcal c arriage rate was 16%. Serogroups B and Y accounted for 76% and 13% of the i solates respectively. In univariate analysis, carriage was associated with male gender (P < 0.0001), < 12 years school education (P = 0.002), smoking (P = 0.014), and service at a 'closed' base, reflecting greater interperson al contact (P < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, only service on a closed base and male gender retained significance. School education of < 12 years remained significant for females only. Variables not associated with carri age included number of siblings, intensity of smoking, and use of the contr aceptive pill. In this setting, meningococcal carriage was associated with the type of base on which soldiers served; and smoking was not an independe nt risk factor for carriage.