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Published Date: 2011-08-01 10:31:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Meningitis, meningococcal - Australia (QL) fatal
Archive Number: 20110801.2310

MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL - AUSTRALIA: (QUEENSLAND) FATAL
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Sun 31 Jul 2011
Source: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) [edited]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-31/meningococcal-death-in-queensland/2817688

One university student is dead and a 2nd is in hospital after an
outbreak of meningococcal disease in Townsville in north Queensland
[Australia]. An 18-year-old medical student was found dead in his
bedroom at James Cook University on Wednesday [27 Jul 2011].

The dean of medicine and dentistry, professor Richard Murray, says the
student was from Western Australia and was planning a career in
humanitarian medicine. He says a memorial service was held on Saturday
[30 Jul 2011]. "This is a fine, very talented, and widely admired and
liked young man," he said. Another medical student from the college
has also tested positive for the infection. The university says he is
responding well to treatment.

Professor Murray says people who have been in close contact with the
men have been interviewed and given antibiotics. "Certainly with the
widened antibiotic clearance we wouldn't be expecting to see any
further cases; however, vigilance of anybody really is important," he
said. Students and staff have also been offered counselling.

Meningococci invade the area around the brainstem and spinal cord and
can also cause blood poisoning. In the past 4 years there have been
between 2 and 4 deaths in the state annually.

Meningococcal [disease] is uncommon and has similar symptoms to the
flu. So far this year [2011] there have been 38 cases in Queensland;
but it is believed this is the 1st death. The dead student's family
has taken their son's body home to Perth. Queensland premier Anna
Bligh says the cases are concerning. "It is very worrying. It is
tragic to see a young 18-year-old lose their [sic] life to this awful
disease," she said. "That's why Queensland Health is, as of right now,
out tracing every contact that they can so that we can understand
where this disease may be operating."

--
Communicated by:
Denis Green
<legion@q-net.net.au>

[For a discussion of meningococcal disease, see ProMED-mail post
Meningitis, meningococcal - USA: (CO) fatal 20100625.2115.

Living in college dormitories has been associated with a higher risk
for meningococcal disease. However, the occurrence of 2 cases of
meningococcal disease in a short span of time at the medical school of
James Cook University in Townsville fails to meet the US CDC
definition of an organization-based outbreak, which is the occurrence
of 3 or more confirmed or probable cases of meningococcal disease
during a period of less than or equal to 3 months in persons who have
a common affiliation but no close contact with each other, resulting
in a primary disease attack rate of at least 10 cases per 100 000
persons
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00046237.htm).
Nevertheless, the attack rate of 2 cases among the 440 medical
students located in Townsville
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook_University_School_of_Medicine_and_Dentistry)
is about 50 times greater than a primary disease attack rate in an
outbreak of at least 10 cases per 100 000 persons.

No information of the meningococcal vaccination status of the cases is
given in the news release above. The CDC's Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine vaccination with
quadrivalent (serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135) meningococcal conjugate
vaccines (Menveo, Novartis; and Menactra, Sanofi Pasteur) of
previously unvaccinated college freshmen, particularly those living in
dormitories, for primary prophylaxis of meningococcal disease
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5407.pdf), and also recommends
vaccination of all adolescents at age 11 or 12 years, or at ages 13
through 18 years if not previously vaccinated. In addition, a booster
dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended at
age 16 years to protect teenagers through the peak ages of 16 to 21
years, because additional data on bactericidal antibody persistence,
trends in meningococcal disease epidemiology in the United States, and
vaccine effectiveness have indicated many adolescents might not be
protected for more than 5 years
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6003a3.htm).

Townsville is a city on the northeastern coast of Australia, in the
state of Queensland, with a 2006 census population of 143 328
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsville). The medical school of
James Cook University is based in Townsville during the 1st 4 years;
in the final 2 years, the majority of students relocate to other
teaching sites such as Cairns, Mackay, and Darwin
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook_University_School_of_Medicine_and_Dentistry).

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Queensland that shows
Townsville can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/15NZ. - Mod.ML]

See Also