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Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme annual report, 2013
Monica M Lahra1, Rodney P Enriquez2
1WHO Collaborating Centre for STD and Neisseria Reference Laboratory, Microbiology Department, South Eastern Area Laboratory Services, the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales and The School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales.
Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report
|January 30, 2015
Summary
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases in Australia reached a record low in 2013. Serogroup B remained dominant, though its proportion decreased, while W135 and Y showed a relative increase.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a notifiable disease in Australia.
- The Australian National Neisseria Network (NNN) and National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) monitor IMD cases.
- 2013 marked a significant decrease in reported IMD cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the epidemiology and serogroup distribution of IMD cases in Australia in 2013.
- To identify trends in IMD incidence and serogroup prevalence.
- To assess antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of circulating Neisseria meningitidis strains.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory confirmation and serogrouping of IMD cases reported to NNN.
- Analysis of NNDSS data for notified IMD cases.
- Molecular typing (porA genotyping) of isolates.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
Main Results:
- 143 laboratory-confirmed IMD cases were analyzed by NNN in 2013, the lowest since 1994.
- Serogroup B was the most common (74.8%), followed by Y (10.8%), W135 (8.6%), and C (5.8%).
- Disease peaks occurred in children under 5 and adolescents (15-19). Serogroup B predominated across most groups, except for older adults where Y was most common. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed universal susceptibility to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and rifampicin, but decreased susceptibility to penicillin (78.5%).
Conclusions:
- IMD incidence in Australia reached a historic low in 2013.
- While Serogroup B remains prevalent, its proportion has declined, with a relative increase in Serogroups Y and W135.
- Molecular data indicated P1.7-2,4 as the dominant porA genotype, and resistance to penicillin is a growing concern.
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