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Coagulation studies were carried out on 30 patients with chronic liver disease. The clotting defect was complex and involved factors V, VII, IX (Christmas factor), and prothrombin. Some patients showed a significant depression of factor IX in the presence of a normal one-stage prothrombin time. Thrombotest was found to be a good indicator of factor IX deficiency in this group of patients and may be of use as an additional liver function test. The screening of patients with liver disease for surgery or liver biopsy should assess the coagulation factors involved in both intrinsic and extrinsic thromboplastin generation.

The effect of a community intervention programme of antibiotics and meningitis vaccine on pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis was investigated. Carriage rates were determined in pupils at both secondary schools (ages 11-18 years) included in the community intervention programme and compared with two schools outside the area matched for socio-economic status. A total of 1869 pupils were studied 6 months after the programmes, and 2457 pupils after 11 months. Six months after the programme was completed there was a 72% reduction in pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in pupils attending the schools in the intervention area compared with pupils in the control schools. After 11 months this difference persisted in the 11-14 age group but not in the 15-18 age group. No resistance to the antibiotics used in the programme was found. A community intervention programme of antibiotics and vaccine for the control of meningococcal disease led to a long-term reduction in Neisseria meningitidis carriage in some age groups.