[Meningococcal disease in the Netherlands: media hype, but not an epidemic]

A M van Furth1, H L Zaaijer

  • 1Vrije Universiteit Medisch Centrum, Postbus 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam. am.vfurth@vumc.nl

An outbreak of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C, type 2a recently occurred in the Dutch province of West-Brabant. Five children were affected and two of these died. The Outbreak Management Team decided to start a local vaccination campaign with a meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine. The publicity surrounding these cases of meningococcal disease led to much anxiety throughout the Netherlands. Despite parent's concerns, there is nothing to indicate the presence of an epidemic.

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