UKMenCar4: A cross-sectional survey of asymptomatic meningococcal carriage amongst UK adolescents at a period of low invasive meningococcal disease incidence



Bratcher, Holly B, Rodrigues, Charlene MC, Finn, Adam, Wootton, Mandy, Cameron, J Claire, Smith, Andrew, Heath, Paul, Ladhani, Shamez, Snape, Matthew D, Pollard, Andrew J
et al (show 6 more authors) (2019) UKMenCar4: A cross-sectional survey of asymptomatic meningococcal carriage amongst UK adolescents at a period of low invasive meningococcal disease incidence. Wellcome Open Research, 4. p. 118.

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Abstract

<ns4:p>Carriage of <ns4:italic>Neisseria meningitidis</ns4:italic>, the meningococcus, is a prerequisite for invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), a potentially devastating infection that disproportionately afflicts infants and children. Humans are the sole known reservoir for the meningococcus, and it is carried asymptomatically in the nasopharynx of ~10% of the population. Rates of carriage are dependent on age of the host and social and behavioural factors. In the UK, meningococcal carriage has been studied through large, multi-centre carriage surveys of adolescents in 1999, 2000, and 2001, demonstrating carriage can be affected by immunisation with the capsular group C meningococcal conjugate vaccine, inducing population immunity against carriage. Fifteen years after these surveys were carried out, invasive meningococcal disease incidence had declined from a peak in 1999.  The UKMenCar4 study was conducted in 2014/15 to investigate rates of carriage amongst the adolescent population during a period of low disease incidence. The protocols and methodology used to perform UKMenCar4, a large carriage survey, are described here.</ns4:p>

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Rare Diseases, Pediatric, Vaccine Related, Immunization, 3.4 Vaccines, 2.2 Factors relating to the physical environment, 2 Aetiology, 3 Prevention of disease and conditions, and promotion of well-being, Infection, 3 Good Health and Well Being
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 09 Dec 2019 09:59
Last Modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:07
DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15362.1
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3065207