TY - JOUR AU - Lingappa, Jairam R. AU - Al-Rabeah, Abdullah M. AU - Hajjeh, Rana AU - Mustafa, Tajammal AU - Fatani, Adel AU - Al-Bassam, Tami AU - Badukhan, Amira AU - Turkistani, Abdulhafiz AU - Al-Hamdan, Nassen AU - Al-Jeffri, Mohamed AU - Al Mazrou, Yaqoub AU - Perkins, Bradley A. AU - Popovic, Tanja AU - Mayer, Leonard W. AU - Rosenstein, Nancy E. T1 - Serogroup W-135 Meningococcal Disease during the Hajj, 2000 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2003 VL - 9 IS - 6 SP - 665 SN - 1080-6059 AB - An outbreak of serogroup W-135 meningococcal disease occurred during the 2000 Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Disease was reported worldwide in Hajj pilgrims and their close contacts; however, most cases were identified in Saudi Arabia. Trends in Saudi meningococcal disease were evaluated and the epidemiology of Saudi cases from this outbreak described. Saudi national meningococcal disease incidence data for 1990 to 2000 were reviewed; cases from January 24 to June 5, 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. The 2000 Hajj outbreak consisted of distinct serogroup A and serogroup W-135 outbreaks. Of 253 identified cases in Saudi Arabia, 161 (64%) had serogroup identification; serogroups W-135 and A caused 93 (37%) and 60 (24%) cases with attack rates of 9 and 6 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. The 2000 Hajj outbreak was the first large serogroup W-135 meningococcal disease outbreak identified worldwide. Enhanced surveillance for serogroup W-135, especially in Africa, is essential to control this emerging epidemic disease. KW - Meningococcal infections KW - meningitis KW - meningococcal KW - Neisseria meningitides KW - epidemiology KW - disease outbreaks KW - Saudi Arabia KW - Africa KW - research DO - 10.3201/eid0906.020565 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/9/6/02-0565_article ER - End of Reference