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Volume 32, Number 10—October 2026
Dispatch
Clinical Characterization of Invasive Meningococcal Disease Epidemic, Uzbekistan, 2026
, Laziz N. Tuychiev, Nilufar T. Khamzayeva, Nigora U. Tadjiyeva, Nargiza S. Saidkasimova, Nargiza X. Otamuratova, and Xolmamat N. Norboev
Table 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in study of invasive meningococcal disease epidemic in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, January 1–April 14, 2026*
| Characteristic | Patients |
|---|---|
| Total |
290 (100) |
| Sex | |
| M | 171 (59.0) |
| F |
119 (41.0) |
| Age at onset, mo., median (IQR) |
36 (18–72) |
| Age group, y | |
| <1 | 17 (5.9) |
| 1 to <2 | 42 (14.5) |
| 2 to <5 | 119 (41.0) |
| 5 to <10 | 51 (17.6) |
| 10 to <18 | 13 (4.5) |
| >18 | 6 (2.1) |
| Missing |
42 (14.5) |
| Outcome, n = 261 with known outcome† | |
| Discharged alive | 237 (90.8) |
| Death, CFR 8.3%‡ |
24 (9.2) |
| Clinical sign at admission, n = 261† | |
| Fever >38°C | 165 (63.2) |
| Hemorrhagic rash | 165 (63.2) |
| Loss of consciousness | 162 (62.1) |
| Vomiting | 161 (61.7) |
| Meningeal signs§ |
8 (3.1) |
| Laboratory test results for sterile site | |
| Blood culture positive | 176 (60.7) |
| CSF culture positive, 56 LPs performed | 28 (9.7) |
| Sterile site confirmed, blood or CSF | 187 (64.5) |
| Nasopharyngeal carriage screening positive¶ | 164 (56.6) |
| CSF not obtained | 234 (80.7) |
*Values are no. (%) except as indicated. CFR, case fatality rate; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; IQR, interquartile range; LP, lumbar puncture. †Twenty-nine cases were excluded because outcome was unknown at the data cutoff timepoint. Data for subgroups are no. (%) of 261 cases with known outcome. ‡CFR = deaths/all 290 cases × 100. §Meningeal signs were defined as the presence of nuchal rigidity, Kernig sign, or Brudzinski sign (any one of which was sufficient as a clinical sign). ¶Nasopharyngeal swab samples taken from all patients as routine carriage screening; not used to define case status.