Risk-factors for meningococcal disease in Victoria, Australia, in 1997

In Victoria between 1990 and 1996, meningococcal infections occurred in 1-2 /100000 people each year, with sometimes devastating outcome. In 1997, a ty pical year, we conducted a case-control study of all cases notified to the State Disease Control Unit, to investigate personal, environmental and life style risk factors. In bivariate analysis many exposures were statistically significantly different (at P = 0.01) in cases and controls. The level of risk, and specific risks, differed between children (under 16) and adults ( 16 years and over). In multivariate analysis few exposures remained signifi cant (at P = 0.05). However, these included having a smoker amongst close c ontacts, exposure to construction dust, recent illness, a history of snorin g and speech problems, and sharing a bedroom. Besides confirming some previ ously identified risk factors, this is the first time that snoring and spee ch problems have been identified as risk factors for meningococcal disease.