摘要：Meningococcal disease causes at least 500,000 cases and50,000 deaths worldwide each year. Epidemics ofmeningococcal meningitis occur in many parts of the world.Serogroup A is associated with explosive epidemics withattack rates up to 500 per 100,000. An epidemic ofserogroup A in the African 'meningitis belt', which began in1996, has resulted in at least 300,000 cases to date andmany thousands of deaths.1Serogroup B is the major causeof sporadic meningococcal disease in industrialisedcountries. Serogroup C, which also occurs in industrialisedcountries, causes both sporadic and epidemic disease.Serogroup C outbreaks typically result in attack ratesbetween those of serogroups A and B.2Serogroups Y andW135 are uncommon in Australia
