STUDIES ON MENINGOCOCCUS INFECTION

Abstract

Three groups of individuals were studied by cultures of the throat, the first group over a period of mos. In this group from the Rockefeller Institute some of whom came in contact with meningococcus cultures there were found 10 carriers (41.6%). Some of these were positive carriers for months at a time with the same strain of organism, some had intervals of being free of the organism. Heavy throat infections with other organisms tended to lessen the number of meningococci colonies obtained. The strains found were usually constant for the individual. In a group of children and infants from a foundling hospital 2 carriers (8.0%) were found. There were 12 carriers in a group of 569 young forestry men who could each be cultured only once or a few times at most.