Table 2.

Published studies on occupational transmission of N meningitidis in the healthcare settings (N/A=data not available; PPE=personal protective equipment; PEC=post-exposure chemoprophylaxis)

Author(s)	Country	Year	Patient(s)	No. of cases	Serogroup	Respiratory use of PPE reported	Source of infection	PEC	Incubation (days)	Prognosis
Feldman HA, 1972 (30)	USA	N/A	Medical staff	4	N/A	N/A	Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation	N/A	N/A	N/A
CDC, 1978(26)	USA	1978	Nurse	1	B	NO	Patient; emergency room evaluation	YES	3	N/A
Gehanno JF et al. 1999(15)	France	1999	Physician	I	C	NO	Patient; intubation procedures; delivery of oxygen;	NO	7	Recovered without sequelae
Gilmore A, et al. 2000 (20)	United Kingdom	1986	Physician	1	B	NO	Patient; full clinical examination; patient coughed into doctor face; daily contact thereafter.	NO	4	N/A
		1987	Paramedic crew	1	C	NO	Patient; control of airways; delivery of oxygen;	NO	7	N/A
		1996	Nurse	1	B	NO	Patient; interaction with patient who coughed and cried;	NO	5	N/A
Petsas A et al. 2008 (28)	United Kingdom	2007	Paramedic crew (Ambulance worker)	1	B	NO	Patient; control of airways; delivery of oxygen;	NO	4	Recovered without sequelae
CDC, 2010(27)	USA	2009	Respiratory therapist	1	C	NO	Patient; intubation procedures	NO	5	Recovered without sequelae
Puleston R et al. 2012(29)	United Kingdom	2012	Paramedic crew (Ambulance worker)	1	W135	N/A	Involved in two community cases but impossible to determine whether paramedic was a primary or a secondary case	YES	16	Recovered without sequelae
Total			Paramedic crew = 4 (33.3%) Physicians = 2(16.7%) Nurse = 2 (16.7%) Respiratory therapist = 1 (8.3%) Medical staff (undefined) = 4 (33.3%)	12	B =4 (33.3%) C = 3 (25.0%) W135 = 1 (8.3%) N/A = 4 (33.3%)	NO = 7 (58.3%) N/A = 5 (41.7%)	Patients = 100% Airway management / resuscitation maneuvers = 10 (83.3%) Other interactions = 3 (25.0%)	NO = 6 (50.0%) YES = 2 (16.7%) N/A = 4 (33.3%)	Median: 5 days Range: 3-16	Recovered without sequelae = 4 (33.3%) N/A = 8 (66.7%)