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Invasive meningococcal disease among university undergraduates: association with universities providing relatively large amounts of catered hall accommodation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1999

K. R. NEAL ,
J. NGUYEN-VAN-TAM ,
P. MONK ,
S. J. O'BRIEN ,
J. STUART  and
M. RAMSAY
K. R. NEAL
Affiliation:
Dept of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH
J. NGUYEN-VAN-TAM
Affiliation:
Dept of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH
P. MONK
Affiliation:
Dept of Public Health, Leicestershire Health, Gwendolen Road, Leicester LE5 4QF
S. J. O'BRIEN
Affiliation:
Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow G20 9NB Current address: CDSC Gastroenterology Division, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ.
J. STUART
Affiliation:
CDSC – South and West, Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary, Gloucester GL1 3NN
M. RAMSAY
Affiliation:
CDSC Immunisation Division, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ
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Abstract

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The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) among UK university students and non-students of similar age was investigated. In addition, we sought to identify structural risk factors associated with high rates of IMD in individual universities. Cases were ascertained via Consultants in Communicable Disease Control (or equivalent officers) between September 1994 and March 1997. Data on individual universities were obtained from university accommodation officers.

University students had an increased annual rate of invasive meningococcal disease (13·2/105, 95% CI 11·2–15·2) compared with non-students of similar age in the same health districts (5·5/105, CI 4·7–6·4) and in those health districts without universities (3·7/105, CI 2·9–4·4). This trend was highly significant. Regression analysis demonstrated catered hall accommodation to be the main structural risk factor. Higher rates of disease were observed at universities providing catered hall places for >10% of their student population (15·3/105, CI 11·8–18·8) compared with those providing places for <10% of students (5·9/105, CI 4·1–7·7). The majority of IMD amongst students was caused by serogroup B organisms.

University students in the UK are at increased risk of IMD compared with non-students of a similar age. The incidence of IMD tends to be greatest at universities with a high provision of catered hall accommodation.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 122 , Issue 3 , June 1999 , pp. 351 - 357
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press