Skip to main content
Log in

Asymtomatic carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in relation to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae colonization in healthy children: Apropos of 1400 children sampled

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Meningococcal disease is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality among children in many parts of the world. Main reservoir of carriage and site of meningococcal dissemination appears to be the upper respiratory tract. Colonization of Neisseria meningitidis and lactamica and factors affecting this carriage were determined in a group of healthy children aged 0–10 years. Meningococcus and N. lactamica carriage were detected in 17 (1.23%) and 245 (17.7%) of 1382 subjects, respectively. Number (%) of serogroups for meningococci was 1 (6), 5 (29), 0 (0), 1 (6), 1 (6), and 9 (53) for A, B, C, D, W135, and Y, respectively. Having more than three household members, elementary school attendance, pharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were associated with carriage of meningococci, whereas age less than 24-month was associated with carriage of N. lactamica. There was a reverse carriage rate between N. meningitidis and N. lactamica by age which may suggest a possible protective role of N. lactamica against meningococcal colonization among pre-school children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Berkman E, Ozben G, Ilhan O. A meningococcal epidemic in Ankara. Microbiol Bull 1977; 11: 256–266.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Stephens DS. Uncloaking the meningococcus: Dynamics of carriage and disease. Lancet 1999; 353: 941–943.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Gold R, Goldschneider I, Lepow ML, Draper TF, Randolph M. Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in infants and children. J Infect Dis 1978; 137: 112–121.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Coen PG, Cartwright K, Stuart J. Mathematical modelling of infection and disease due to Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica. Int J Epidemiol 2000; 29: 180–188.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cartwright KA, Stuart JM, Jones DM, Noah ND. The Stonehouse survey: Nasopharyngeal carriage of meningococci and Neisseria lactamica. Epidemiol Infect 1987; 99: 591–601.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Simmons G, Martin D, Stewart J, Bremner D. Carriage of N. lactamica in a population at high risk of meningococcal disease. Epidemiol Infect 2000; 125: 99–104.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Olsen SF, Djurhuus B, Rasmussen K, et al. Pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in households with infants within areas with high and low incidences of meningococcal disease. Epidemiol Infect 1991; 106: 445–457.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Andrade JR, Marques Md, de Santa Rosa MR. Nasal secretions of Neisseria lactamica carriers have an inhibitory e.ect on Neisseria meningitidis attachment to human oroepithelial cells. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1986; 81: 453–457.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kilian M, Reinholdt J, Lomholt H, Poulsen K, Frandsen EV. Biological signi.cance of IgA1 proteases in bacterial colonization and pathogenesis: Critical evaluation of experimental evidence. APMIS 1996; 104: 321–338.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Vitovski S, Read RC, Sayers JR. Invasive isolates of Neisseria meningitidis possess enhanced immunoglobulin A1 protease activity compared to colonizing strains. FASEB J 1999; 13: 331–337.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Stuart JM, Cartwright KA, Robinson PM, Noah ND. Effect of smoking on meningococcal carriage. Lancet 1989; 2: 723–725.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cheesbrough JS, Morse AP, Green SD. Meningococcal meningitis and carriage in western Zaire: A hypoendemic zone related to climate? Epidemiol Infect 1995; 114: 75–92.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bakir, M., Yagci, A., Ulger, N. et al. Asymtomatic carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in relation to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae colonization in healthy children: Apropos of 1400 children sampled. Eur J Epidemiol 17, 1015–1018 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020021109462

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020021109462

Navigation