Laboratory confirmation of meningococcal disease in Scotland, 1993–9

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 32 - 36
• Main Authors: Clarke, S C, Reid, J, Thom, L, Denham, B C, Edwards, G F S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists 01-01-2002; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; Copyright 2002 Journal of Clinical Pathology
• Subjects: Agglutination Tests - methods; Analysis; Analysis. Health state; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antigens; Bacterial Typing Techniques - methods; Bacteriological Techniques - methods; Biological and medical sciences; cerebrospinal fluid; CSF; Diagnosis; Enzymes; Epidemiology; General aspects; Humans; Incidence; Laboratories; Medical sciences; MenC; Meningitis; meningococcal disease; Meningococcal infections; Meningococcal Infections - diagnosis; Meningococcal Infections - epidemiology; Microscopy; Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria meningitidis - classification; Neisseria meningitidis - immunology; Neisseria meningitidis - isolation & purification; non-culture diagnosis; OMP; Original; outer membrane protein; Patients; PBS; PCR; Pharynx - microbiology; phosphate buffered saline; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; SCIEH; Scotland; Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health; Scottish Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory; serogroup C meningococcal conjugate; SMPRL; United Kingdom; Scotland; Great Britain; Europe; United Kingdom > UK; Infection; Human; Laboratory investigations; Bacteriosis; Diagnosis; Technique; Epidemiology; Public health; Meningococcal disease
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.55.1.32

Aims: To describe the laboratory confirmation of meningococcal disease, using culture and non-culture based techniques, between 1993 and 1999 as part of a national service in Scotland. Methods: Samples from patients with suspected meningococcal disease in Scotland were analysed by culture and non-culture based techniques to gain a laboratory confirmation of disease. Data were analysed to establish the number of disease cases, the serogroups of the organisms involved, and the importance of the techniques used. Results: Between 1993 and 1999, there was a total of 1749 notified cases of meningococcal disease in Scotland. Culture based methods provided a laboratory confirmation of 788 cases whereas non-culture techniques confirmed 461 cases. Conclusions: Non-culture techniques were a useful addition to culture based techniques in Scotland and improved the dataset required for public health management, disease surveillance, and vaccine policy.