THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN MENINGOCOCCAL CARRIAGE AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Hassen Mohammed; Christian Peut; Mark McMillan; Bing Wang; Thomas R Sullivan; Helen S Marshall

doi:10.1097/INF.0000000000004362

THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN MENINGOCOCCAL CARRIAGE AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2024 Apr 10. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004362. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hassen Mohammed^{1

2}, Christian Peut³, Mark McMillan^{1

2}, Bing Wang^{1

2}, Thomas R Sullivan⁴, Helen S Marshall^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ From the Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital.
² Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide.
³ SA Health, South Australian Government.
⁴ SAHMRI Women and Kids Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

PMID: 38621163
DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004362

Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis carriage peaks in adolescents. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (NCT03089086) assessing 4CMenB herd protection in South Australia ("B-Part-of-It" study) explored school attributes linked to baseline carriage in 34,489 adolescents prevaccination. Carriage was higher in students attending single-sex [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.93], boarding (aOR: 1.92; 1.13-3.27) and government schools (aOR: 1.32, 1.09-1.61).