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CommuNICABle dISeASeS rePort, mAy ANd JuNe 2005 For updated information, including data and facts on specific diseases, visit www.health.nsw.gov.au and click on Infectious Diseases. treNdS Tables 2 and 3 and figure 4 show reports of communicable diseases received through to the end of May and June 2005 in NSW by area health service. meNINGoCoCCAl dISeASe Cluster 1 In late May, the Sydney office of the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Public Health Unit reported a cluster of two cases of meningococcal disease in students residing on the same floor of a university residential college. Case 1 was a university student who was admitted to hospital in late May with a three-day history of an influenzalike illness and vomiting. On presentation the student was found to have a petechial rash and the clinical diagnosis of meningococcal septicaemia was confirmed by a positive polymerase chain reaction blood test for meningococcus serogroup B. Following treatment for a relatively mild illness, the patient was discharged. Case 2 presented to hospital the day after case 1, also with a three-day history of an influenza-like illness, which progressed to rigors, headache and nausea. A day later, case 2 developed a purpuric rash on the forearms and this spread to the legs. The patient's condition rapidly deteriorated and the patient required admission to an intensive care unit. The clinical diagnosis of meningococcal septicaemia was confirmed by blood culture to be meningococcus serogroup B. The patient recovered and was discharged. Case 2 attended the same university faculty as case 1 but did not share any university classes or tutorials with case 1. However, both cases resided on the same floor of a fourfloor college. There were approximately 70 other students on that floor. The cases reported no direct contact with each other, although both had attended the same entertainment venue at one point during the previous week.