Risk Factors and Prevalence of Meningococcal Colonisation of Children Attending Kindergarten in Northern Hungary

Neisseria meningitidis is a bacterium that can cause high-mortality invasive infections. Asymptomatic carriage can serve as a source of infection. This study aimed to determine the meningococcal colonisation rate and risk factors for colonisation among children aged 1-6 years attending eight childcare institutions in three regions in the Northern part of Hungary. Oropharyngeal swab specimens were obtained from 180 children, and risk factors for carriage were assessed by questionnaires filled out by parents. qPCR was applied to detect meningococci and determine the serogroup. The meningococcal colonisation rate was 15.6% (28/180). One meningococcus detected belonged to serogroup X; all others were non-groupable meningococci. Meningococcal colonisation was significantly more prevalent among girls (21.5% vs. 9.2% in boys) and children living in the Central Transdanubia region. No significant association was found with other risk factors examined. According to the parental answers, 70.0% of the children were vaccinated against meningococcus; this might be an explanation for the absence of vaccine serogroups. This is the first study to examine meningococcal carriage among young children in Hungary.