title: Risk mapping and early warning systems for the control of meningitis in Africa.
abstract: Epidemics of meningococcal meningitis in Africa have plagued the continent for over a century. These epidemics have a strong association with the environment and efforts are being made to develop models to predict both their location and their incidence. This review describes the predictive models based on climate/environmental information currently available, describes work in progress, and presents evidence that the distribution of the epidemics is changing in a pattern that is compatible with changes in the environment. Discussion of priorities for research in the context of the new conjugate vaccines in Africa is also provided.
authors.affiliation: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Luis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cuevas
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeanne
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molesworth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Savory
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: Madeleine C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors