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Household crowding a major risk factor for epidemic meningococcal disease in Auckland children

M Baker1, A McNicholas, N Garrett

  • 1Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|October 31, 2000
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Overcrowding and sharing items are key risk factors for meningococcal disease in Auckland children. Reducing household crowding could significantly decrease disease incidence.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • New Zealand faces a prolonged epidemic of serogroup B meningococcal disease.
  • Maori and Pacific Island children in Auckland exhibit the highest incidence rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify potentially modifiable risk factors for meningococcal disease in Auckland children.
  • To inform public health interventions for disease prevention.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 202 cases and 313 controls in Auckland children under 8 years old.
  • Controls were recruited using cluster sampling and frequency matched for age and ethnicity.

Main Results:

  • Overcrowding, defined by household members per room, showed a strong association with disease risk (OR 10.7).
  • Other significant risk factors included child's analgesic use (OR 2.4), social gathering frequency (OR 1.8), household smokers (OR 1.4), item sharing (OR 1.6), and preceding respiratory infections in household members (OR 1.5).

Conclusions:

  • Identified risk factors for meningococcal disease are largely modifiable.
  • Implementing measures to reduce household overcrowding could substantially lower disease incidence in Auckland.

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