DISCO FEVER - EPIDEMIC MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE IN NORTHEASTERN ARGENTINA ASSOCIATED WITH DISCO PATRONAGE

Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of adult meningitis worldwid e. From 5 to 14 August 1996, 8 cases of meningococcal disease occurred in Corrientes city (population 306,000) in northeastern Argentina. Th ose infected ranged in age from 15 to 45 years (median, 18.5). To dete rmine risk factors for infection, a case-control study was done. Infec ting isolates were serogrouped and underwent phenotyping by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (P FGE). Those infected were significantly more likely than those not inf ected to have had exposure to passive or active cigarette smoke or to have attended a particular disco. Isolates available from 6 case-patie nts were all serogroup C; all had identical MLEE and PFGE patterns. Th ese data suggest that dance clubs or discos may be a focus of transmis sion of N. meningitidis among young people.