Meningococcal disease in Slovenia (1993-1999): serogroups and susceptibility to antibiotics

The epidemiology of meningococcal disease was studied prospectively in Slov enia from 1993 to 1999 in children and from 1995 to 1999 ill adults. Patien ts with meningococci isolated from normally sterile body sites were include d in the study. Altogether 75 patients (57 children, 18 adults) were found with meningococcal diseases. The overall yearly incidence was 0.43 per 100 000 inhabitants. The highest annual incidence (18.5/100 000) was found in c hildren between 1 month and 1 year of age. The case to fatality ratio was 4 .1%. Group B meningococci were isolated most frequently (84.7%), followed b y group C (11.1%). In six patients (8.3%) isolates were less susceptible to penicillin. Four of these were successfully treated with penicillin alone. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. and international Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.