Abstract
The meningococcal diseases* represent a spectrum of illness caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Although sporadic endemic cases occur throughout the world, massive, devastating epidemics tend to reflect conditions of crowding, mobilization, and enclosed institutional populations. Such outbreaks tend to be extraordinarily disruptive, especially because of the fear and fright that they induce in the affected populations. Among civilians, children are most often attacked, with mortality rates of 80–90% having been noted in some epidemics that occurred before effective therapeutic agents became available. The disease is also known as “cerebral spinal fever” and “epidemic cerebral spinal meningitis” and by other names. Mobilization for war, with the induction of many young men into crowded military camps, has generally been accompanied by outbreaks.
Keywords
Carrier State Meningococcal Disease Carrier Rate Neisseria Meningitidis Household ContactPreview
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References
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