Meningococcical Disease: Communitarian Outbreak Investigation in Grajaú, in the City of São Paulo, July, 2006

Abstract

Meningococcical disease (DM) is an acute infectious disease which is relevant for public health due to its    epidemical potential and high lethality. The administrative district of Grajaú, in the municipality of São Paulo,    confirmed 17 cases of DM in 2006m with an incidence coefficient of 4,4/100.000 inhabitants and a lethality of    35,3%. Of these, 29,4% were serogrouped and all were identified as serogroup C meningococcus. The    community, called Sucupira, is located within the Grajau disctrict, in the city of São Paulo, and presented three    cases of DM. The objective of this investigation was to characterize and to confirm the occurrence of a    meningococcical disease outbreak in the Sucupira community. Case investigation was performed employing data    banks, epidemiological charts, hospital consultation reports and interviews with the family of three cases    circumscribed to the community. For DM case inclusion in the outbreak, the following case definition was    employed: DM case confirmed by laboratorial criteria, necropsy or clinic, occurring from June 30 to July, 07,    2006, in people dwelling in the Sucupira community. Of the total 17 cases occurring in 2006, one DM outbreak    was confirmed, in the Sucupira community, with three cases and two deaths. Of these, only the strain from one    patient was serogrouped, with the identification of the serogroup C, which is according to the current prevalence    of the serogroup C in the Grajau district and in the city of São Paulo. Control measures, with chemoprophylaxis    and vaccination, were performed duly and timely. Investigation allowed clinical and epidemiological description of    the cases, with the confirmation of the outbreak in the community.