Meningococcal Disease: Situation in the African Meningitis Belt

From 1 January to 11 March 2012, outbreaks of meningococcal disease have been reported in a total of 15 districts, located in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana (see table below).

These outbreaks have been detected as part of the enhanced surveillance in the African Meningitis Belt conducted in 14 countries where a total of 6 685 suspected meningitis cases including 639 deaths have been reported. These countries include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan and Togo.

The outbreaks are mainly caused by the W135 serogroup of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) bacteria. In Chad, the predominant pathogen is Nm A, although Nm W135 contributed to an outbreak in one district. Whereas NmA has always been the leading cause of epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, outbreaks of Nm W135 have occurred in the region, since 2002.

The countries are responding to these outbreaks by enhancing surveillance, reinforcing treatment of patients and implementing mass vaccination campaigns.

(Via Global Alert and Response - accessed 04/04/12)

Advice for Travellers

WHO emphasizes that individuals planning to travel to countries in the African Meningitis Belt obtain vaccine to protect against the four serogroups responsible for the epidemic disease (quadrivalent vaccine ACYW135). Practitioners should carry out a detailed risk assessment before making vaccination recommendations. The risk of meningococcal infection increases during the dry season which generally runs from December to June in the meningitis belt.