Abstract

Bacteriological surveys of the crews of both Royal Navy and United States nuclear submarine crews, who were engaged in extended patrols in an isolated environment, revealed an unexpectedly high level of nasopharyngeal meningococci when selective med’a was used and an, as yet, unexplained increase in the level of resistance of the organism to sulphadiazine during the period of patrol.

Results from British and United States personnel showed very similar carrier rates, with the exceptions of ant’genic groups and sulphadiazine sensitivity.