TY - JOUR AU - Sudbury, Eva AU - O’Sullivan, Siobhan AU - Lister, David AU - Varghese, Deepa AU - Satharasinghe, Keshan T1 - Case Manifestations and Public Health Response for Outbreak of Meningococcal W Disease, Central Australia, 2017 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2020 VL - 26 IS - 7 SP - 1355 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W has emerged as an increasingly common cause of invasive meningococcal disease worldwide; the average case-fatality rate is 10%. In 2017, an unprecedented outbreak of serogroup W infection occurred among the Indigenous pediatric population of Central Australia; there were 24 cases over a 5-month period. Among these cases were atypical manifestations, including meningococcal pneumonia, septic arthritis, and conjunctivitis. The outbreak juxtaposed a well-resourced healthcare system against unique challenges related to covering vast distances, a socially disadvantaged population, and a disease process that was rapid and unpredictable. A coordinated clinical and public health response included investigation of and empiric treatment for 649 febrile children, provision of prophylactic antimicrobial drugs for 465 close contacts, and implementation of a quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccine immunization program. The response contained the outbreak within 6 months; no deaths and only 1 case of major illness were recorded. KW - case manifestations KW - public health response KW - outbreak KW - meningococcal W disease KW - invasive meningococcal disease KW - serogroup W KW - aboriginal KW - Neisseria meningitidis KW - bacteria KW - MenACWY vaccine KW - Central Australia KW - indigenous population KW - Torres Strait Islander KW - meningitis/encephalitis DO - 10.3201/eid2607.181941 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/18-1941_article ER - End of Reference