Trends in meningococcal disease in Italy in 1988.

Meningococcal disease in Italy decreased 15% in 1988 from the previous year (290 vs. 342 cases). The decline was particularly evident in military cases (1.7/100,000 in 1988 vs. 5/100,000 in 1987) reflecting the full coverage of bivalent serogroup (A + C) meningococcal polysaccaride vaccine in army recruits, achieved since January 1988. The highest proportion of cases was seen in people older than 25 years of age (25%). Serogroup C constituted 60% of the isolates, while 19% belonged to serogroup B. The proportion of strains resistant to sulphonamides was 45%, while 15% were resistant to Minocycline and none to Rifampin. Out of the five military cases, only one (due to serogroup C) was attributable to the vaccine failure. A single coprimary case, but no secondary cases occurred among civilians. These findings are consistent with the trends reported in Italy in the previous years.