New guidelines for public health management of meningococcal disease

Abstract

New, revised guidelines for the public health management of meningococcal disease have been published in the United Kingdom, as a result of recent changes in the epidemiology of meningococcal disease together with the introduction of new vaccines and an accumulation of new evidence on risk evaluation and control methods (1). The guidelines cover pre-admission management, investigation of suspect cases, the role of public health, public health action after a single case, prophylaxis in healthcare settings and the management of clusters. The guidance contains detailed revisions on the use of antibiotics before admission to hospital, the rationale and indications for chemoprophylaxis, and the use of new vaccines. All recommendations within the review are graded according to the level of evidence on which they are based, probably the first European guidelines to do so (2).