title: [Meningococcal disease in Africa--epidemiology and prevention].
abstract: Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most common causes of purulent meningitis all over the world. Large epidemics caused by meningococci have spread during the last decade throughout vast areas of Africa, also outside the region referred to as the classic "Meningitis Belt". Globally, this organism each year causes about 300,000 cases and 30,000 deaths; most of these are children. Meningococci of serogroup A cause a major part of these epidemics, and a remarkable feature of the epidemical situation is that the bacteria differ very little in antigenic properties as they belong to the same clonal group of meningococci. Immunization with safe and effective vaccines is the most efficient way of combatting these epidemics. The currently available polysaccharide vaccines against serogroup. A meningococcal disease do not induce long-term immunological memory and do not provide adequate protection of children below two years of age. There is an urgent need for a vaccine that induces long-term immunological memory in all age groups, so it can be included in the routine vaccination program. In contrast to serogroup C, the development of conjugate vaccines against serogroup A meningococcal disease has not yielded the positive results hoped for. The development of alternative protein-based vaccines therefore needs to be intensified.
authors.affiliation: Avdeling for vaksine, Statens institutt for folkehelse, Oslo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norheim
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenqvist
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aavitsland
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Caugant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines