Abstract Staphylococcus condimenti (S. condimenti) is a coagulase-negative bacterium, generally regarded as not pathogenic. Indeed, S. condimenti owes its name to having been isolated from starter cultures of fermented sausage, as well as from fish and soy sauces. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of human infection caused by this bacterium have been reported. Here, we present a case of meningitis by S. condimenti in a 65-year-old woman who was brought to hospital after having been found unconscious at home. At her arrival, she had a Glasgow coma scale = 3, fever, and hypoxic–normocapnic respiratory failure. Examination of her cerebrospinal fluid showed a slightly increased white blood cell count, normal glucose and protein concentrations. Paired cultures on blood and liquor samples yielded S. condimenti. Targeted antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxone led to a complete recovery. This unique case expands our knowledge on S. condimenti as a pathogenic bacterium.…

Laura V. Cooper, Anna Robson, Caroline L. Trotter, Abraham Aseffa, Jean‐Marc Collard, Doumagoum Moto Daugla, Aldiouma Diallo, Abraham Hodgson, Jean‐François Jusot, Babatunji Omotara, Samba Sow, Musa Hassan‐King, Olivier Manigart, Maria Nascimento, Arouna Woukeu, Daniel Chandramohan, Ray Borrow, Martin C. J. Maiden, Brian Greenwood, on behalf of James M. Stuart, the MenAfriCar Consortium, Oumer Ali, Ahmed Bedru, Tsehaynesh Lema, Tesfaye Moti, Yenenesh Tekletsion, Alemayehu Worku,

Abstract Objective To investigate potential risk factors for acquisition in seven countries of the meningitis belt. Methods Households were followed up every 2 weeks for 2 months, then monthly for a further 4 months. Pharyngeal swabs were collected from all available household members at each visit and questionnaires completed. Risks of acquisition over the whole study period and for each visit were analysed by a series of logistic regressions. Results Over the course of the study, acquisition was higher in: (i) 5‐to 14‐year olds, as compared with those 30 years or older (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4–9.9); (ii) smokers (OR 3.6, 95% CI 0.98–13); and (iii) those exposed to wood smoke at home (OR 2.6 95% CI 1.3–5.6). The risk of acquisition from one visit to the next was higher in those reporting a sore throat during the dry season (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.0–6.7) and lower in those reporting antibiotic use (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.03–0.56). Conclusions Acquisition of meningococcal carriage peaked in school age children. Recent symptoms of sore throat during the dry season, but not during the rainy season, were associated with a higher risk of acquisition. Upper respiratory tract infections may be an important driver of epidemics in the meningitis belt.