Prevalence of Nasopharyngeal Meningococcal Carriers among Newly Enlisted Military Recruits in Taiwan

Ding-Ping Liu

2006 Vol.22 NO.3

Correspondence Author：

Abstract：

In this study, systemic sampling was done on newly enlisted military recruits in Taiwan between November and December of 2001. Specimens and questionnaires of 1,988 recruits were collected to comprehend the prevalence of meningococcus among males between 20 and 24 in the community. Results showed that the prevalence of meningococcal carriers was 2.3%. Most of the carriers had type B bacteria (53.3%), followed by type Y (17.4%), W135 (15.2%), non-typable (10.9%), and Z (2.2%). The pattern was similar to that of confirmed meningococcal cases in 2001, but the carrier rate and type distribution were significantly different from those in 1974.