Hospital admissions for meningococcal infection in Spain (1997–2005)

• Published in: The Journal of infection Vol. 58; no. 1; pp. 15 - 20
• Main Authors: San Roman Montero, J.M, Gil Prieto, R, Gomez Alejandre, C, Alvaro Meca, L, Portugal, P, Gil de Miguel, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; General aspects; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - economics; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Human bacterial diseases; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Length of Stay; Medical sciences; Meningitis, meningococcal; Meningococcal Infections - economics; Meningococcal Infections - epidemiology; Meningococcal Infections - mortality; Middle Aged; Neisseria meningitides; Neisseria meningitidis; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Young Adult; Europe; Spain; Hospitalization; Meningitis, meningococcal; Neisseria meningitides; Spain; Infection; Bacteriosis; Nosocomial infection; Hospital admission; Meningococcal disease
• ISSN: 0163-4453; 1532-2742
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2008.10.009

Summary Objectives Spanish hospital surveillance system was analyzed to estimate the burden of hospital admissions for meningococcal infection in Spain during a nine-year period (1997–2005). Methods Data were obtained from the national surveillance system for hospital data (Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos) maintained by the Ministry of Health and covering more than 95% of Spanish hospitals. Results There were 9480 hospital admissions for meningococcal infection (ICD 9 CM 036; any listed diagnosis) during the study period. Annual incidence was 2.66 cases per 100,000 population. Rate of death and case-fatality rate were 0.17 per 100,000 population and 6.45%, respectively. The average length of hospitalization was 11.2 days. Youngest age group showed the highest incidence and rate of death (43.15 and 1.17 per 100,000 population respectively in 0–4 years old group), but case-fatality rate was higher in the oldest group (12.16%; more than 30 years old group). The cost of acute hospital care is estimated to be on average 4470 euros per case, which imposes an annual direct cost of 3–5 million euros to the Spanish health system. Conclusions Meningococcal infection is still an important cause of hospital admissions in Spain and results in large cost to the Health Care System.