Meningococcal disease in Slovenia (1993-1999): serogroups and susceptibility to antibiotics. Slovenian Meningitis Study Group

The epidemiology of meningococcal disease was studied prospectively in Slovenia from 1993 to 1999 in children and from 1995 to 1999 in adults. Patients with meningococci isolated from normally sterile body sites were included in the study. Altogether 75 patients (57 children, 18 adults) were found with meningococcal diseases. The overall yearly incidence was 0.43 per 100000 inhabitants. The highest annual incidence (18.5/100000) was found in children between 1 month and 1 year of age. The case to fatality ratio was 4.1%. Group B meningococci were isolated most frequently (84.7%), followed by group C (11.1%). In six patients (8.3%) isolates were less susceptible to penicillin. Four of these were successfully treated with penicillin alone.