Mass vaccination campaign following community outbreak of meningococcal disease

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases 2002-12, Vol.8 (12), p.1398-1403
• Main Authors: Krause, Gérard, Blackmore, Carina, Wiersma, Steven, Lesneski, Cheryll, Gauch, Laurey, Hopkins, Richard S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Community Health Services - economics; Community Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Florida - epidemiology; Humans; Immunization; Immunization of infants; Infant; Infants; Male; Management; Mass Vaccination - economics; Mass Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Meningitis, Meningococcal - epidemiology; Meningitis, Meningococcal - prevention & control; Meningococcal Vaccines - administration & dosage; Meningococcal Vaccines - therapeutic use; Neisseria meningitidis; Prevention; Public health; Public Health - economics
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid0812.040421

During December 12-29, 1998, seven patients ages 2-18 years were diagnosed with serogroup C meningococcal disease in two neighboring Florida towns with 33,000 residents. We evaluated a mass vaccination campaign implemented to control the outbreak. We maintained vaccination logs and recorded the resources used in the campaign that targeted 2- to 22-year-old residents of the two towns. A total of 13,148 persons received the vaccinations in 3 days. Vaccination coverage in the target population was estimated to be 86% to 99%. Five additional cases of serogroup C meningococcal disease occurred in the community during the year after the campaign began, four in patients who had not received the vaccine. The cost of control efforts was approximately $370,000. Although cases continued to occur, the vaccination campaign appeared to control the outbreak. Rapid implementation, a targeted approach, and high coverage were important to the campaign's success.