Guidelines for public health management of meningococcal disease in the UK

Following changes in the epidemiology of meningococcal disease, the advent of new vaccines, and with new evidence on risk and control measures, the Public Health Laboratory Service Meningococcus Forum set up a Working Group to review the guidance for control measures in the UK. This guidance, published in 2002, has been updated by the HPA Meningococcus Forum (2006). Recommendations are graded according to the level of evidence on which they are based. These guidelines cover pre-admission management, investigation of suspected cases, the role of public health, public health action after a single case, prophylaxis in healthcare settings, and management of clusters. Links to relevant websites are included.