Departmental Seminar
Wednesday 26th June at 14:00
In the lower ground seminar room
ICH, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH
Risk and protective factors for meningococcal disease in adolescence
Joanna Tully, Russell Viner, Pietro Coen, Robert Booy
Academic Department of Child Health, Royal London Hospital
Over recent years the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (MD) has
increased in the UK. Although still predominantly a disease of early
childhood, the incidence in teenagers has increased. MD in adolescence
carries a high mortality resulting in death in up to 20% of teenage cases.
Higher carriage rates in adolescence have been proposed as an explanation
for the teenage peak in incidence. However factors in addition to high
carriage rates must be responsible. Adolescence is a period of great
psychosocial change. Social behaviours commonly developing at this time
such as smoking, drug experimentation and increased social and intimate
contact may increase the risk of invasive MD. Stress associated with
familial conflict and increased responsibilities could also increase risk.
Biological factors may be important. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) forms
part of the innate immune system. MBL deficiency may predispose to MD in
children. Its role in adulthood is unclear and in adolescence is unknown.
Preceding illness is a recognized risk factor for MD and viruses like
influenza have previously been implicated. Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) is a
common viral infection of adolescence and is immunosuppressive in its
action. Its role in the aetiology of MD is unknown. Previous studies have
included insufficient numbers of teenagers to clearly identify risk factors.
In this talk we elucidate social, biological and psychological risk factors
for the development of MD in teenagers analysing data from a prospective
case-control study performed across 6 regions of England.
Dr Mario Cortina Borja
Senior Lecturer in Statistics
Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Institute of Child Health
University College London
30 Guilford Street
London
WC1N 1EH
UK
tel: 020-7905-2113
fax: 020-7242-2723
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