Establishment of an Active Laboratory-Based Surveillance for Bacterial Meningitis in Croatia and Molecular Characterization of Neisseria meningitidis Isolates Causing Meningococcal Disease That Were Collected in the Year 2000, the First Year of Activity

In 2000, 23 Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcal [Men]) isolates were collected in Croatia through an active laboratory-based surveillance for bacterial meningitis (17 Men serogroup B [MenB], 4 MenC, 1 MenW135, and 1 nongroupable isolate). Molecular characterization revealed a substantial level of diversity with only six isolates belonging to electrophoretic type 5 (ET-5) and ET-37 hypervirulent complexes.