Risk mapping and early warning systems for the control of meningitis in Africa.
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.
Cuevas
Luis E
LE
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Jeanne
Isabelle
I
Molesworth
Anna
A
Bell
Michael
M
Savory
Emily C
EC
Connor
Stephen J
SJ
Thomson
Madeleine C
MC
D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors