Refining the public health response to primary meningococcal conjunctivitis

Authors

  • Mark J Ferson South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit, Locked Bag 88, Randwick NSW 2031
  • Roslyn G Poulos School of Public Health and Community Medicine, the University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales; South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit, Randwick, New South Wales
  • Elizabeth J Smedley South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit, Randwick, New South Wales
  • Srinivas Bolisetty Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales
  • John W Tapsall Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2002.26.64

Keywords:

Neiserria meningiditis, meningococcal conjunctivitis

Abstract

Primary meningococcal conjunctivitis (PMC) is accepted as an uncommon condition. This report describes 2 recent cases of PMC in newborn infants in a hospital nursery. In both cases the organisms identified were non-groupable strains of N. meningitidis,considered to be of low pathogenic potential. Both infants received systemic therapy and recovered without sequelae. The Guidelines for the early clinical and public health management of meningococcal disease in Australia recommend the notification of PMC to public health authorities and chemoprophylaxis of contacts. However, our two cases suggest that the guidelines should allow for an assessment of risk in determining the public health response. This assessment should include the severity of the conjunctivitis and the serogroup of the N. meningitidis isolate. Commun Dis Intell 2002;26:592-595.

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References

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Published

31/12/02

How to Cite

Ferson, Mark J, Roslyn G Poulos, Elizabeth J Smedley, Srinivas Bolisetty, and John W Tapsall. 2002. “Refining the Public Health Response to Primary Meningococcal Conjunctivitis”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 26 (December):592-95. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2002.26.64.

Issue

Vol. 26 (2002)

Section

Original article

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Copyright (c) 2002 Communicable Diseases Intelligence

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