title: Epidemic meningitis, meningococcaemia, and Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: Meningococcus, an obligate human bacterial pathogen, remains a worldwide and devastating cause of epidemic meningitis and sepsis. However, advances have been made in our understanding of meningococcal biology and pathogenesis, global epidemiology, transmission and carriage, host susceptibility, pathophysiology, and clinical presentations. Approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and chemoprophylaxis are now in use on the basis of these advances. Importantly, the next generation of meningococcal conjugate vaccines for serogroups A, C, Y, W-135, and broadly effective serogroup B vaccines are on the horizon, which could eliminate the organism as a major threat to human health in industrialised countries in the next decade. The crucial challenge will be effective introduction of new meningococcal vaccines into developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where they are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Research Service (151I), Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA. Electronic address: dstep01@emory.edu.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.affiliation: Departments of Paediatrics and Clinical Chemistry, Ullevål University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brandtzaeg
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents