Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis carriage was compared in swab specimens of nasopharynx, tonsils, and saliva taken from 258 students. We found a higher yield in nasopharyngeal than in tonsillar swabs (32% vs. 19%, p<0.001). Low prevalence of carriage in saliva swabs (one swab [0.4%]) suggests that low levels of salivary contact are unlikely to transmit meningococci.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Adolescent
-
Adult
-
Carrier State / epidemiology
-
Carrier State / microbiology
-
England / epidemiology
-
Female
-
Humans
-
Male
-
Meningococcal Infections / epidemiology
-
Meningococcal Infections / microbiology
-
Meningococcal Infections / transmission
-
Nasopharynx / microbiology
-
Neisseria meningitidis / classification
-
Neisseria meningitidis / isolation & purification*
-
Palatine Tonsil / microbiology
-
Public Health
-
Saliva / microbiology*