title: Biological diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis in the African meningitis belt: current epidemic strategy and new perspectives.
abstract: Laboratory diagnosis is an essential component in surveillance of meningococcal epidemics, as it can inform decision-makers of the Neisseria meningitidis serogroup(s) involved and the most appropriate vaccine to be selected for mass vaccination. However, countries most affected face real limitations in laboratory diagnostics, due to lack of resources. We describe current diagnostic tools and examine their cost-effectiveness for use in an epidemic context. The conclusion is that current WHO recommendations to use only the latex agglutination assay (Pastorex) at epidemic onset is cost-effective, but recently developed rapid diagnostic tests for the major epidemic-causing meningococcal serogroups may prove a breakthrough for the future.
authors.affiliation: CERMES, Réseau International Institut Pasteur, PO Box 10887, Niamey, Niger. schanteau@cermes.org
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chanteau
authors.forename: Angela M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Saacou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djibo
authors.forename: Farida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nato
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boisier
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity