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. 2019 Mar;25(3):434-440.
doi: 10.3201/eid2503.181574.

University-Based Outbreaks of Meningococcal Disease Caused by Serogroup B, United States, 2013-2018

Heidi M Soeters, Lucy A McNamara, Amy E Blain, Melissa Whaley, Jessica R MacNeil, Susan Hariri, Sarah A Mbaeyi; Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease University Outbreak Group
Collaborators

University-Based Outbreaks of Meningococcal Disease Caused by Serogroup B, United States, 2013-2018

Heidi M Soeters et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

We reviewed university-based outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B and vaccination responses in the United States in the years following serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine availability. Ten university-based outbreaks occurred in 7 states during 2013-2018, causing a total of 39 cases and 2 deaths. Outbreaks occurred at universities with 3,600-35,000 undergraduates. Outbreak case counts ranged from 2 to 9 cases; outbreak duration ranged from 0 to 376 days. All 10 universities implemented MenB vaccination: 3 primarily used MenB-FHbp and 7 used MenB-4C. Estimated first-dose vaccination coverage ranged from 14% to 98%. In 5 outbreaks, additional cases occurred 6-259 days following MenB vaccination initiation. Although it is difficult to predict outbreak trajectories and evaluate the effects of public health response measures, achieving high MenB vaccination coverage is crucial to help protect at-risk persons during outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by this serogroup.

Keywords: United States; bacteria; bacterial infection; infectious disease; meningitis/encephalitis; meningococcal meningitis; meningococcal vaccines; serogroup B; universities; vaccination recommendations; vaccines.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timing of case onset dates and initiation of vaccination efforts during university-based outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B, United States, 2013–2018. MenB, serogroup B meningococcal vaccine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Association between university size and first-dose serogroup B meningococcal vaccine coverage in response to university-based outbreaks, United States, 2013–2018.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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