Microbiological and Serological Evaluation of the Meningitis Outbreak in a Community Center in Isfahan Province, Iran, During the Years 2016-2017

Background: Meningococcal meningitis is a major health problem in tropical regions, including Iran. Identification of the type of serogroup involved in screening programs is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological and serological characteristics of meningitis outbreaks in a camp in Isfahan Province, during the years 2016-2017. Methods: This cross-sectional study performed on 51 patients with meningococcal meningitis. After recording the demographic data, various variables including history of vaccination and prophylaxis, lumbar puncture (LP) result, blood culture, and antibiotic resistance were recorded. The obtained statistics were reported as abundance and average. Findings: 31.4% of the subjects were vaccinated, and 76.5% had received a prophylaxis. In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture, 80.48% of cases were negative, only 4.87% were streptococcus viridans, and 14.53% were Neisseria meningitides. In evaluating blood culture, 74.50% of cases were negative, 23.50% of cases were Neisseria meningitides, and 2.00% of cases were Staphylococcus epidermidis. All the serogroups were serogroup B. Conclusion: In our study, it was found that the incidence of meningitis was high even in patients who received standard prophylaxis and meningococcal vaccine. On the other hand, all of them had serogroup B; therefore preventive measures including the use of vaccines and prophylaxis affecting serogroup B should be performed more serious.