목 적: 수막구균(Neisseria meningitides)은 패혈증, 수 막염 등 침습성 질환의 중요한 원인의 하나이다. 최근에는 수 막구균 다당질-단백 결합 백신이 개발되어 영아의 정기 접종 에 포함된 국가도 있다. 우리 나라에서는 건강한 성인의 보유 율에 관한 보고는 있으나 소아에서는 수막구균 보균율에 대한 체계적인 보고가 아직 없었다. 본 연구에서는 건강한 유소아 를 대상으로 수막구균의 구인두 집락율과 혈청군을 알아 보고 자 하였다. 방 법: 2005년 1-2월과 5월에 서울, 경기지역의 13개 어 린이집과 유아원에 다니는 소아 904명을 대상으로 하였다. Calcium alginated cotton으로 구인두 점막을 세게 문질러 구인두 도말 검체를 채취한 후 즉시 수막구균 선택배지 (modified New York City medium)에 접종하고 CO2 보육기 에서 48시간 배양하였다. 수막구균 동정은 Vitek NHI card를 이용하였으며 중합효소 연쇄 반응을 이용하여 crgA 유전자를 검출하여 확인하였다. 확인된 수막구균은 N. meningitides antisera를 이용한 agglutination test로써 혈청형 A, B, C, D, 29E, W135, X, Y, Z에 대한 검사를 하였으며, 중합효소 연쇄 반응을 이용하여 org2, siaD 유전자의 다양성에 따라 혈청형 A, B, C, W135, Y 여부를 다시 확인하였다. 결 과: 구인두 도말을 채취한 904명의 소아 중 남아는 468 명(52%) 이었고 대상 유소아의 연령 분포는 2세 미만이 59명 (6.5%), 2세에서 5세 미만은 486명(53.8%), 5-6세는 338명 (37.4%)이었고 7세 이상은 21명(2.3%)이었다. 수막구균은 7 명의 구인두 검체에서 검출되어 수막구균 보균율은 0.8%이었 다. 남아 3명에서 검출되었고 연령별로는 3세 미만에서는 검 출 되지 않았고 3세, 4세, 5세 소아에서 각각 1명씩, 그리고 6세 소아 4명에서 검출되었다. 혈청형은 Y군이 3균주, C군과 A군이 각각 2균주이었다. 2군데 유아원에서 각각 2명씩 분리 되었고 3군데 유아원에서 1명씩 분리 되었다. 2명이 분리된 유아원 중 한군데는 모두 혈청형 Y가 분리 되었고 다른 유아원 에서는 C군과 Y군이 각각 한 명씩 분리되었다. 결 론: 유아원에 다니는 건강한 소아의 구인강내 수막구균 보유율은 매우 낮았으며, 분리된 수막구균의 혈청군은 A, C, Y군이 고루 분포하였다.

Purpose : Neisseria meningitides is one of the most common causative pathogens of bacteremia and meningitis. Recently protein-conjugated vaccines have been developed and included in the routine vaccination schedule in a few countries. In Korea, carriage rates of N. meningitides among healthy adults have been reported. However, systematic data for childhood carriage rates are not available. This study was performed to evaluate the carriage rates of N. meningitides and the serotype distribution among healthy children attending day care centers. Methods : During the period of January through May 2005, nasopharyngeal swabs and culture were obtained from 904 children attending 13 different day care centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The Vitek NHI card was used to identify N. meningitides and the crgA gene was detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotype determination was performed by agglutination test using N. meningitides antisera to serotypes A, B, C, D, 29E, W135, X, Y, and Z. PCR for detection of the org2 and saiD gene confirmed serotypes A, B, C, W135, and Y. Results : The mean age among 904 children was 4.5 years; 6.5% (59/904) were children <2 years old, 53.8% (486/904) were 2-5 years old, and 39.7% (359/904) were >5 years old; 52.0% (468/904) were male. N. meningitides was isolated from only 7 children attending 5 different day care centers and the overall carriage rate of N. meningitides was 0.8%. The detected serotypes of N. meningitides were serotype A (n=2), C (n=2), and Y (n=3). Conclusion : The carriage rate of N. meningitides among healthy children attending day care centers was very low in Korea and the detected serotypes were A, C, and Y.

Purpose : Neisseria meningitides is one of the most common causative pathogens of bacteremia and meningitis. Recently protein-conjugated vaccines have been developed and included in the routine vaccination schedule in a few countries. In Korea, carriage rates of N. meningitides among healthy adults have been reported. However, systematic data for childhood carriage rates are not available. This study was performed to evaluate the carriage rates of N. meningitides and the serotype distribution among healthy children attending day care centers. Methods : During the period of January through May 2005, nasopharyngeal swabs and culture were obtained from 904 children attending 13 different day care centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The Vitek NHI card was used to identify N. meningitides and the crgA gene was detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotype determination was performed by agglutination test using N. meningitides antisera to serotypes A, B, C, D, 29E, W135, X, Y, and Z. PCR for detection of the org2 and saiD gene confirmed serotypes A, B, C, W135, and Y. Results : The mean age among 904 children was 4.5 years; 6.5% (59/904) were children <2 years old, 53.8% (486/904) were 2-5 years old, and 39.7% (359/904) were >5 years old; 52.0% (468/904) were male. N. meningitides was isolated from only 7 children attending 5 different day care centers and the overall carriage rate of N. meningitides was 0.8%. The detected serotypes of N. meningitides were serotype A (n=2), C (n=2), and Y (n=3). Conclusion : The carriage rate of N. meningitides among healthy children attending day care centers was very low in Korea and the detected serotypes were A, C, and Y.