Contents
209 Meningitis control in countries of the African meningitis belt,
Sommaire
209 Lutte contre la méningite dans les pays de la ceinture africaine de la méningite, 2015
Meningitis control in countries of the African meningitis belt, 2015
Background
Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis (N.m). Of the 13 subtypes or serogroups of N.m. identified, 4 (N.m. A, B, C and W) are recognized to be the main causes of epidemics, while endemic disease and occasional outbreaks are also caused by bacteria belonging to other serogroups, including N.m. Y and X. The pathogenicity, and epidemic capabilities differ according to the serogroup.
Meningococcal meningitis cases occur throughout the world. However, large, recurring epidemics affect an extensive region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the “meningitis belt” which comprises 26 countries from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east. In this area, outbreaks occur during the dry “epidemic” season, covering the first half of the year.
Before 2010, serogroup A was responsible for the large majority of epidemics in this area. Starting in 2010, the progressive introduction of a meningococcal A conjugate vaccine (MACV)1 to the epidemicprone areas of the 26 countries in the African meningitis belt has brought about a dramatic reduction of N.m. A cases and the elimination of N.m. A epidemics in these areas. At the same time, the relative proportion of cases due to other N.m. serogroups (W, X and C) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) has risen.