Notification of meningococcal disease and Haemophilus influenzae meningitis: a requirement for public health action.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------meningitis was ascertained for the years 1987-1991. Laboratory record review identified positive blood culture and cerebro-spinal fluid isolates for 4 Dublin hospitals serving the paediatric population of the Eastern Health Board. Infectious disease registers, inspected for evidence of notification, revealed than only 44% of culture positive cases had been notified. The notification rate for Haemophilus meningitis (33%) was significantly lower than that for meningococcal disease (53%). All laboratory identified cases should have been notified. Public health assessment is required for each condition as rifampicin prophylaxis can prevent secondary cases in close contacts of both diseases. Improved notification is essential, not just to comply with the law but more importantly, for better management of these diseases.