Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme, 1 July to 30 September 2015

Monica M Lahra, Rodney P Enriquez for the Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme

Introduction

The reference laboratories of the Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme (AMSP) report data on the number of cases confirmed by laboratory testing using culture and by non-culture based techniques. Culture positive cases, where Neisseria meningitidis is grown from a normally sterile site or skin lesions, and non-culture based diagnoses, derived from results of nucleic acid amplification assays and serological techniques, are defined as invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) according to Public Health Laboratory Network definitions. Data contained in quarterly reports are restricted to a description of the number of cases by jurisdiction and serogroup, where known. Some minor corrections to data in the Table may be made in subsequent reports if additional data are received. A full analysis of laboratory confirmed cases of IMD in each calendar year is contained in the AMSP annual reports published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence. For more information see Commun Dis Intell 2015;39(1):E179.

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Results

Laboratory confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease for the period 1 July to 30 September 2015 are shown in the Table. In this quarter there has been a notable increase in IMD cases attributed to MenW and MenY, particularly in Victoria. The National Neisseria Network, which coordinates the AMSP is conducting investigations including whole genome sequencing and continuing to monitor and evaluate the situation.

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