Trends in Meningococcal Disease in the United States, 1975–1980

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, has monitored trends in meningococcal disease in the United States and has recorded the proportion of sulfonamide-resistant strains of Neisseria meningitidis since 1964. These data have been collected largely through a passive surveillance network and do not represent a systematic survey of either cases or isolates. This report focuses on data collected during 1975-1980. During this period reported cases increased by > 10% over the total reported for the preceding six years. Concurrently, the proportion of sulfonamide-resistant strains decreased considerably. Also, a shift was seen in the relative prevalence of the various serogroups causing serious disease.