• Household members (intimate contacts) in the 7 days before the index case became ill.
• Very close contacts comparable to household contacts (including fellow patients). These are persons who, during the 7 days before the index case became ill, slept one or more times in the same room as the index case or who in total had more than 4 hours of intensive contact with the index case within the same household.
• Healthcare workers after mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or similar very close contacts.
• At school and in nurseries: classmates, group members and the teacher(s); carers only if two or more associated cases (including the index case) occur in the class within 31 days of the index case's first day of illness.
• The patient before discharge from hospital (unless treated with ceftriaxone).
Prophylaxis for contacts should be started within 24 hours of onset of the first symptoms in the index case. Prophylaxis can also be given later, but is no longer useful from 4 weeks after the diagnosis has been made.
Choice of prophylaxis:
Rifampicin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone are equivalent alternatives in terms of effectiveness as chemoprophylaxis.
On the basis of ease of use and low development of resistance, ciprofloxacin appears to have the most favourable profile in persons aged 16 years and over.
For children under 16 years: consult a paediatric infectious diseases specialist.
In pregnancy, ceftriaxone is preferred.
Dosages:
ciprofloxacin: adults and children over 15 years: single 500 mg orally. children under 16 years: only after consultation with a paediatric infectious diseases specialist.
rifampicin for two days: adults and children over 12 years: 600 mg twice daily orally. children aged 3 months to 12 years: 10 mg/kg body weight twice daily orally (max. 600 mg). children under 3 months: 5 mg/kg body weight twice daily orally.
ceftriaxone: adults, pregnant women and children over 15 years: single 250 mg intramuscular injection. children under 16 years: single 125 mg intramuscular injection.
Eligible for prophylaxis:
• Household members (intimate contacts) in the 7 days before the index case became ill.
• Very close contacts comparable to household contacts (including fellow patients). These are persons who, during the 7 days before the index case became ill, slept one or more times in the same room as the index case or who in total had more than 4 hours of intensive contact with the index case within the same household.
• Healthcare workers after mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or similar very close contacts.
• At school and in nurseries: classmates, group members and the teacher(s); carers only if two or more associated cases (including the index case) occur in the class within 31 days of the index case's first day of illness.
• The patient before discharge from hospital (unless treated with ceftriaxone).
Prophylaxis for contacts should be started within 24 hours of onset of the first symptoms in the index case. Prophylaxis can also be given later, but is no longer useful from 4 weeks after the diagnosis has been made.
Choice of prophylaxis:
Rifampicin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone are equivalent alternatives in terms of effectiveness as chemoprophylaxis.
On the basis of ease of use and low development of resistance, ciprofloxacin appears to have the most favourable profile in persons aged 16 years and over.
For children under 16 years: consult a paediatric infectious diseases specialist.
In pregnancy, ceftriaxone is preferred.
Dosages:
ciprofloxacin: adults and children over 15 years: single 500 mg orally. children under 16 years: only after consultation with a paediatric infectious diseases specialist.
rifampicin for two days: adults and children over 12 years: 600 mg twice daily orally. children aged 3 months to 12 years: 10 mg/kg body weight twice daily orally (max. 600 mg). children under 3 months: 5 mg/kg body weight twice daily orally.
ceftriaxone: adults, pregnant women and children over 15 years: single 250 mg intramuscular injection. children under 16 years: single 125 mg intramuscular injection.