House-to-house, community-wide chemoprophylaxis for meningococcal disease: an aggressive approach to disease prevention.

During an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a rural community in southwest Alabama in 1975-76, we undertook an aggressive campaign of house-to-house, community-wide chemoprophylaxis distribution. Over a three-day period 1,045 households were visited and 4,454 persons received medication. The 1970 census lists 967 households with 4,067 persons residing in the community. To evaluate compliance we cultured for meningococcal carriers before and after the chemoprophylaxis campaign. All of the previously discovered carriers were negative three weeks after the drug distribution. The cost of the campaign ($26,520) was very small compared to the possible benefit achieved. The methods of planning and executing this campaign are described in detail.