Hajj-Related Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W135 in Mauritius
Meningococcal disease is rare in Mauritius; only one case was reported from 1992 to 1999. However, since June 2000, four cases have occurred. Epidemiologic information and typing results indicate that these recent cases probably followed the introduction of Neisseria meningitidis W135 in Mauritius by pilgrims returning from the Hajj in 2000 and 2001.

Mauritius is a small tropical island in the Indian Ocean (population 1.2 million). The country is classified as a middle-income country by the World Bank; its primary commercial links are with Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and southern Africa.

Bacteriologic investigations for government health institutions in Mauritius are conducted in only one laboratory. These centralized results indicate that meningococcal disease is extremely rare in Mauritius. From 1992 to 1999, the only recorded infection occurred in a patient 3 days after he returned from the United Kingdom. However, since June 2000, four cases of meningococcal disease have occurred in Mauritians who have no history of travel outside the island.