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Abstract
The carriage of Neisseria meningitidis was examined in the Norwegian population of Svalbard (1 150 persons) after a fatal case of meningococcal septicaemia. The overall carrier rate was 39.0 %. The rate was highest among males (47.8 %), with a maximum of 63.4 % in the age group 15–24 years. The carrier rate was low among children aged 3 to 15 years (6.5 %). Children below 3 years were frequent meningococcal carriers, however (37.5 %). Sulphonamide-resistant strains were often found, 22.6 % of the total material being resistant. Group B was the most frequent serogroup, and accounted for 44.5 % of the isolated strains. Non-groupable strains were second in frequency (23.8 %), followed by group Y (15.8 %). Only a few strains belonged to the serogroups A, C, X and Z. N. lactamica was isolated from 26.9 % of children below 15 years, but seldom in older age groups.