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Risk Factors for Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease Among College Students
Lauren M Weil1,2, Samuel J Crowe2, Amy B Rubis2
1Epidemic Intelligence Service Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Background:
College students are at increased risk for invasive meningococcal disease, but which students are most at risk is unclear.
Methods:
US meningococcal disease cases in persons aged 18-24 years during 2014-2017 were included. Patients were classified as undergraduate students or other persons. Incidence in different student and non-student populations was compared.
Results:
During 2014-2017, 229 meningococcal disease cases were reported in persons aged 18-24 years; 120 were in undergraduate students. Serogroup B accounted for 74% of cases in students. Serogroup B disease incidence was 4-fold higher in undergraduate students, 11.8-fold higher among first-year undergraduate students, and 8.6-fold higher among residence hall residents versus non-undergraduates. During outbreaks, students affiliated with Greek life had a 9.8-fold higher risk of disease compared to other students. A significantly higher party school ranking was observed for schools with sporadic or outbreak cases when compared to schools with no cases.
Conclusions:
The findings of increased disease risk among first-year students and those living on campus or affiliated with Greek life can inform shared clinical decision-making for serogroup B vaccines to prevent this rare but serious disease. These data also can inform school serogroup B vaccination policies and outbreak response measures.
