Impact of COVID-19 Containment Strategies and Meningococcal Conjugate ACWY Vaccination on Meningococcal Carriage in Adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To examine if COVID-19 containment strategies were associated with reduced pharyngeal carriage of meningococci in adolescents. Also, to observe if carriage prevalence of meningococcal A, C, W and Y differed in meningococcal conjugate ACWY vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescents.

Design

Repeat cross-sectional study of pharyngeal carriage.

Setting

In 2020, recruitment commenced from February to March (pre-COVID-19) and recommenced from August to September (during COVID-19 measures) in South Australia.

Participants

Eligible participants were between 17 and 25 years of age and completed secondary school in South Australia in 2019.

Results

A total of 1338 school leavers were enrolled in 2020, with a mean age of 18.6 years (standard deviation 0.6).

SUBMITTER: McMillan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9555590 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature