Meningococcal disease in Louisiana 1978–1985

Data were analyzed from 729 meningococcal cases reported to the Epidemiology Section, Office of Preventive and Public Health Services, Louisiana Department of Health and Human Resources from 1978 through 1985. A total of 122 deaths (16.8%) occurred from these cases, with the highest case fatality rate (23.7%) noted in 1981. The eight-year average incidence rate per 100,000 population was 2.1. For individual years, the incidence rate was highest (3.6) in 1978 and lowest (0.8) in 1985. Although incidence rates per 100,000 population were greater for males during all years except 1978 and 1985 and greater for nonwhites in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984, the eight-year average incidence rates by sex and race were almost the same. Incidence rates were found to be highest in the less than one, and one to four-year age groups. For all eight years, over half of the cases were in the four years and under age group; the same was true for deaths, except in 1982 (46.7%). February was found to be the month with the highest frequency of reported case onset and death. The mean difference between date of disease onset and death for all fatal cases was 2.716 days (S.D.=6.48). Ten of the 64 Louisiana parishes reported no meningococcal disease cases from 1978–1985. There were 25 parishes with an eight-year average incidence rate of greater than 2.1. The overall incidence rates in Louisiana were greater than rates in the United States for the time periods reviewed.