Laboratory confirmation of meningococcal disease in Scotland, 1993-9 |
| |
Authors: | Clarke S C Reid J Thom L Denham B C Edwards G F S |
| |
Institution: | Scottish Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, House on the Hill, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow G21 3UW, UK. stuart.clarke@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk |
| |
Abstract: | 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. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|