engleski

Epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease in Croatia (2009-2018): a single centre study

Background and Aims: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a rare, but potentially life- threatening infection, mostly affecting infants and young children. In Europe, serogroup B (SgB) causes the majority of IMD cases. The serogroup distribution varies by age, region, and it may change over time. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of IMD in the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases (UHID), Zagreb, during 10-year period to monitor seasonal variations, serogroup- and age-specific trends. None of the available meningococcal vaccines is a part of NIP in Croatia. Methods: All cases of confirmed IMD treated in UHID from January 1st, 2009 to December 31st, 2018 were included in the study and retrospectively analysed. Confirmed IMD was defined in accordance with EU case definitions. Demographic data were collected from clinical records, while data on serogroup were obtained from microbiological and molecular laboratory. Results: There were 226 cases of confirmed IMD, with median age of 3, 99 years (range 0, 08 – 91, 85 years). Most cases were observed in young children aged 1-4 years (28%), followed by <1- year-olds (25%) and 15-24-year-olds (20%). The highest number of cases occured in January and February (16% and 12%, respectively). The majority of cases belonged to SgB (81%), followed by SgC (11%) and SgY (6%). SgB accounted for 88% of IMD cases in children <5 years. Decreasing trend in total IMD and SgB cases was noticed during the study period. Conclusions: IMD is a severe infection that predominantly affects young children. SgB remains the most common serogroup among all age groups below 65 years, with the highest burden in children aged <5 years. Determination of the major serogroups and their age and temporal variation is an important step for establishing a vaccine programme targeting Neisseria meningitidis.

meningokokna bolest, meningokokna infekcija, Neisseria meningitidis, serogrupa

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