title: The epidemiology of pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Haemophilus disease in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region--current status and needs.
abstract: Information about the burden and epidemiological characteristics of meningitis and other invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis is of great value to healthcare decision makers to prioritize public health interventions. A group of regional experts in the Eastern Mediterranean and North African regions formed the MENA Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Regional Advisory Group to collate and discuss such information on an annual basis. This paper provides an up-to-date summary of the available epidemiological data regarding these pathogens in these regions. In doing so, it highlights the need for additional surveillance studies to better measure the burden of these diseases, as well as the potential impact of introduction of new vaccines against these pathogens.
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rue de l'Institut 89, B-1330 Rixensart, Belgium. william.p.hausdorff@gsk.com
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hausdorff
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hajjeh
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Mazrou
authors.forename: Atef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shibl
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soriano-Gabarro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*