Meningococcal disease in South Australia: incidence and serogroup distribution 1971–1980

During the ten-year period 1971-80 isolates of meningococci from 85 cases of meningococcal disease (MD) in South Australia, from 66 children, 6 adolescents and 13 adults, were examined. These comprised 69 cases of meningitis and 16 cases of bacteraemia without meningitis. Thirty-three (39%) of all cases of MD occurred in children less than 1 year of age, the median age was 19 months. Serogroup B accounted for 61 (72%) cases of MD, group A seven (8%), group C seven (8%), group W135 five (6%), group Y three (4%) and group X one (1%); in addition there was a single case of Neisseria lactamica infection. The annual prevalence of MD in South Australia for the period was 11 cases per 100000 for children under the age of 2 years and 0.7 cases per 100000 overall. The prevalence was highest in winter (45% cases) and spring (26%) and lowest in summer (13%). The overall mortality rate was 8%. Four of the 21 infants under the age of 6 months died (mortality rate 19%) whereas none of the 32 children aged from 6 months to 14 years died (P = 0.02). Amongst the survivors, three children had deafness, which was bilateral and severe in two.