title: The changing and dynamic epidemiology of meningococcal disease.
abstract: The epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease continues to change rapidly, even in the three years since the first Meningococcal Exchange Meeting in 2008. Control of disease caused by serogroup C has been achieved in countries that have implemented meningococcal C or quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccines. Initiation of mass immunization programs with meningococcal A conjugate vaccines across the meningitis belt of Africa may lead to the interruption of cyclical meningococcal epidemics. A meningococcal B vaccination program in New Zealand has led to a decreased incidence of high rates of endemic serogroup B disease. Increases in serogroup Y disease have been observed in certain Nordic countries which, if they persist, may require consideration of use of a multiple serogroup vaccine. The imminent availability of recombinant broadly protective serogroup B vaccines may provide the tools for further control of invasive meningococcal disease in areas where serogroup B disease predominates. Continued surveillance of meningococcal disease is essential; ongoing global efforts to improve the completeness of reporting are required.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Center for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University, the IWK Health Centre, and Capital Health, Halifax, Canada. scott.halperin@dal.ca
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bettinger
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jelfs
authors.forename: Shamez N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Ladhani
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: Marco A P
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sáfadi
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines