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Seven-week interval between acquisition of a meningococcus and the onset of invasive disease. A case report

K R Neal1, J S Nguyen-van-Tam, R C Slack

  • 1Department of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nottingham, UK.

Epidemiology and Infection
|February 29, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) may develop after weeks of asymptomatic carriage. A student carried the bacteria for 7 weeks before developing meningitis, suggesting a longer incubation period than previously thought.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis.
  • The typical incubation period for IMD is thought to be short, occurring within days of acquiring the bacteria.

Observation:

  • A longitudinal study tracked carriage and acquisition in university students.
  • One male student had Neisseria lactamica, then Neisseria meningitidis, before developing meningitis.

Findings:

  • The Neisseria meningitidis isolated during the student's meningitis was identical to the one carried 7 weeks prior.
  • This suggests a prolonged asymptomatic carriage period before invasive disease onset.

Implications:

  • The findings challenge the assumption of a short incubation period for IMD.
  • Further research is needed to determine the typical duration of asymptomatic carriage preceding invasive meningococcal disease.

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