Changing Susceptibility of Meningococci to Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract

MENINGOCOCCAL infections have been a relatively minor cause of morbidity and mortality during the past decade when compared with other major infectious diseases. In certain segments of the population, however, particularly in children under five years of age1 and in military recruits, meningococcal disease is still a problem of deep concern.Before and during World War II sulfadiazine was recognized as an effective chemotherapeutic agent in meningococcal meningitis and also as highly effective in chemoprophylaxis.2 3 4 This relatively satisfactory state continued until early 1963, when an outbreak of meningitis, during which there were several deaths and which was shown to be . . .