Meningococcal Public Health Management Working Group in EMGM

Convener: Wiebke Hellenbrand, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Co-conveners: Germaine Hanquet and Shamez Ladhani

Ongoing projects

1. Survey of European countries regarding Public Health management of sporadic cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) final data analysis and publication in 2014
2. Update of the systematic review on effectiveness of antibiotics in preventing IMD after a case in households

Further research topics

(Please contact working group leaders if interested in collaborating on or leading a project).

1. Systematic review on risk of IMD after contact with meningococcal conjunctivitis and implications for public health management
2. Antibiotics for chemoprophylaxis
   1. Systematic review on antibiotic regimens in pregnancy with emphasis on safety, dosage
   2. Effectiveness of cefotaxime and azithromycin in carriage eradication (RCTs in preschools, children, staff, parents in one or two countries)
   3. Risks of drug resistance to chemoprophylactic agents (cooperation with Antibiotic Resistance Working Group)
   4. Values placed by public on preventing a case (survey across Europe also relevant to implementation of MenB vaccines)
3. Evaluation of PCR in skin lesion biopsy (co-operation with clinical and laboratory experts)
   1. Compared to PCR and culture from other sterile sites, particularly after initiation of antibiotic therapy
   2. Issues of patient acceptance
4. Risk for transmission of case strains in preschools (carriage studies in one or two countries)
5. Prospective ascertainment of short and long term sequelae of IMD
6. Surveillance of aeroplane travel associated IMD cases across Europe