title: Meningitis epidemics in Africa: a brief overview.
abstract: Every year, meningococcal meningitis causes thousands of deaths within the meningitis belt in sub-Saharan African countries. Large epidemic waves occur with a periodicity of 5-12 years. The waves do correspond to molecular changes in the expression of capsular or subcapsular antigens, which allow the bug to spread in susceptible populations. Serogroup A remains the major killer, even if in 2002, serogroup W135 ST-11 emerged in Burkina Faso, causing an important epidemic. However, the surveillance in the following years has showed a decrease in the W135 incidence and a clear predominance of serogroup A. Moreover, a new serogroup A strain belonging to ST-2859 seems to emerge and does represent a new threat for the coming seasons. In a vaccine perspective, and especially in the context of the development of an A conjugate vaccine; it is the key to strengthen the surveillance systems and to include molecular epidemiology as a tool for monitoring the molecular evolution of Neisseria meningitidis in Africa.
authors.affiliation: Louis Malardé Institute, BP30, 98718 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. remy.teyssou@ilm.pf
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teyssou
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muros-Le Rouzic
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines