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Volume 26, Number 7—July 2020
Synopsis

Case Manifestations and Public Health Response for Outbreak of Meningococcal W Disease, Central Australia, 2017

Eva L. SudburyComments to Author , Siobhan O’Sullivan, David Lister, Deepa Varghese, and Keshan Satharasinghe
Author affiliations: Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Main Article

Table 2

Characteristics of 24 case-patients who had meningococcal serogroup W infection, Central Australia, 2017*

Characteristic Value
Age, y
Median (25%–75% percentile) 5.2 (1.7–7.2)
Range
0.3–14.7
Sex
M 17 (71)
F
7 (29)
Australian Aboriginal
24 (100)
No. communities affected (n = 58)
18 (31)
Location of communities
Northern Territory 14 (78)
South Australia 3 (17)
Western Australia
1 (5)
Air retrieval to Alice Springs Hospital
15 (63)
Signs/symptoms
Fever 23 (96)
Tachycardia 18 (75)
Vomiting 10 (42)
Cough/respiratory distress 7 (29)
Arthritis/arthralgia 8 (33)
Meningism 7 (29)
Hypotension 6 (25)
Purpuric rash 3 (13)
Diarrhea 2 (8)
Petechial rash 1 (4)
Conjunctivitis
1 (4)
Diagnosis
Isolated meningococcemia 12 (50)
Meningitis 6 (24)
Bacteremic pneumonia 4 (16)
Septic arthritis 1 (4)
Conjunctivitis
1 (4)
Admission location
Pediatric ward 20 (83)
Intensive care unit
4 (17)
Length of admission, d
Median (25%–75% percentile) 5.5 (5–8.5)
Range
4–128
Duration of antimicrobial drug use, d
Median (25%–75% percentile) 6 (5–8)
Range
4–14
Time from visit to health service to first dose of ceftriaxone, h
Median (25%–75% percentile) 4.7 (1.6–15.6)
Range
0.6–54.9
Complications
Persistent bradycardia 4 (17)
Persistent arthralgia 4 (17)
Persistent fevers 3 (13)
Coagulopathy 1 (4)
Acute kidney injury 1 (4)
Below-knee amputation
1 (4)
Culture positive
17 (71)
Penicillin sensitivity
Intermediate 15 (88)
Resistant
2 (12)
PCR positive 23 (96)

*Values are no. (%) unless otherwise indicated.

Main Article

Page created: March 31, 2020
Page updated: June 18, 2020
Page reviewed: June 18, 2020
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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