Abstract
We determined the carriage rate of Neisseria meningitidis before and after hajj pilgrimage among a group (1) of 674 randomly selected Iranian pilgrims, and the effect of 500 mg of ciprofloxacin given 24 hours before return on the reduction of meningococcal carriers among another group (2) of 123 randomly selected Iranian pilgrims. Throat specimens taken 1 hour before departure on the hajj and immediately on return were cultured. Carriage rates of N. meningitidis in group 1 were 5.2% before and 4.6% after pilgrimage (P = 0.65); 3 new serogroups (Z, Z and A) were identified on return. In group 2, the carriage rate decreased from 8.1% to zero before and after pilgrimage.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use*
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Carrier State / drug therapy
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Carrier State / epidemiology*
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Carrier State / microbiology
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Chi-Square Distribution
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Ciprofloxacin / therapeutic use*
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Female
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Humans
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Iran / epidemiology
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Islam*
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Male
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Meningococcal Infections / drug therapy
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Meningococcal Infections / epidemiology*
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Meningococcal Infections / etiology
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Middle Aged
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Neisseria meningitidis / classification
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Neisseria meningitidis / drug effects
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Population Surveillance
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Risk Factors
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Saudi Arabia
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Serotyping
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Time Factors
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Travel* / statistics & numerical data
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Anti-Infective Agents
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Ciprofloxacin