Inwazyjna choroba meningokokowa u chorych poniżej 20. roku życia w Polsce w latach 2009–2011

The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) among patients under 20 years of age in Poland from 2009 to 2011, based on data collected by the National Reference Centre for Bacterial Meningitis (NRCBM).MethodsThe study was performed on all invasive Neisseria meningitidis from patients under 20 years of age in Poland, collected between 2009 and 2011 in the NRCBM. The isolates were identified and serotyped. MICs were determined by the Etests or M.I.C.Evaluators. A PCR technique was used for the identification of the etiological agent directly from clinical materials in the case of a negative culture.ResultsFrom 2009 to 2011 the NRCBM confirmed 806 cases of IMD, including 75.7% (n=610) infections in patients under 20 years of age. High incidence of IMD was notified in children under 5 (6.98/100,000) and the highest in children under one (13.99/100,000). The majority of cases were caused by meningococci of serogroup B (59.7%), followed by serogroup C (37.8%), Y (1.6%) and W-135 (0.9%). The overall case fatality ratio was 13.3 and was the highest in children aged 24–35 months (20.9%). Decreased susceptibility to penicillin characterised 26.6% of isolates. All isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime/ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, rifampin and ciprofloxacin.ConclusionsMeningococci are still cause of infections associated to high case fatality ratio, especially in children under 5 years of age