[Epidemiological characteristics of meningococcal infection in Cuba]. / Epidemiologicheskie isibennosti meningokokkovoi infektsii na Kube.

The results of the epidemiological analysis of the morbidity rate in meningococcal infection for 1976-1984 are presented. The maximum rise of morbidity rate, equal to 14.4 per 100000 of population, was observed in 1983. Primarily, the rise of morbidity rate in 1979 was induced by meningococci of two serogroups: C (44.6%) and B (36.4%). The vaccinal prophylaxis of the population, carried out in 1979 with the use of polysaccharide vaccine A + C, did not affect morbidity caused by group B meningococci. The isolation rate of these organisms reached 98.7% from patients and 81.0% from carriers. The characteristic feature of the epidemic process of meningococcal infection in Cuba was a considerable increase in the number of patients under 1 year of age and the absence of seasonal fluctuations in morbidity rate.

[Serotypes of meningococci isolated in the USSR and the Republic of Cuba]. / Serotipy meningokokkov, vydelennye v SSSR i Respublike Kuba.

The results of serotyping of 101 meningococcal strains isolated in the Soviet Union and 23 strains isolated in the Republic of Cuba are presented. Typing within groups was carried out by Frasch's method in the double diffusion test in gel. For this purpose serotype antigens were prepared from each strain. These antigens were used in the test only after their purification by ultracentrifugation. In all cases the prevalence of serotype 2 was revealed. A great number of Cuban strains contained a wide spectrum of type antigens of both protein and lipopolysaccharide nature. Serotype antigen 15 occurred in meningococci isolated both in the USSR and in Cuba. In most cases type 15 occurred in combination with types 2 and 8. The comparison of the results obtained in the serotyping of meningococci isolated in situations, nonepidemic (USSR) and epidemic (Cuba) for serogroup B, gives no grounds for considering type 2 as the "marker of virulence". Probably, this problem will be solved by the differentiation of subtypes within type 2. Attention should be paid to the serotype antigens of the lipopolysaccharide nature with a view to their epidemiological evaluation.