Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T14:34:36.810Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Meningococcal meningitis and carriage in western Zaire: A hypoendemic zone related to climate?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. S. Cheesbrough ,
A. P. Morse  and
S. D. R. Green
J. S. Cheesbrough*
Affiliation:
Tropical Microbiology Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool
A. P. Morse
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Liverpool
S. D. R. Green
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Institut Médical Evangélique, Kimpese, Republic of Zaire
*
*Dr J. S. Cheesbrough, Department of Microbiology, Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Bolton Road, Blackburn BB2 3LR, UK.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

An analysis of bacteria recovered from cerebrospinal fluid over a 16-year period at a rural hospital in western Zaire showed that Neisseria meningitidis accounted for only five (2·2%) isolates. A survey of naso-pharyngeal colonisation with N. meningitidis in 378 healthy children was undertaken to distinguish whether this low frequency was due to lack of carriage or, by inference, lack of the co-factors necessary to permit invasive disease. N. meningitidis was recovered from only three (0·78%) of the children. All isolates were non-typable strains of low pathogenicity.

A review of studies examining the aetiology of bacterial meningitis and the geographical location of epidemics of meningococcal meningitis in and around Zaire reveals a ‘hypoendemic zone’, the limits of which correlate well with the area in which mean absolute humidity remains above 10 g m−3 of air throughout the year. Continuous high absolute humidity appears to reduce the transmission of meningococci.

Type
Special Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 114 , Issue 1 , February 1995 , pp. 75 - 92
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

References

REFERENCES

1.Lapeyssonnie, L. La Méningite cérébrospinale en Afrique. Bull WHO 1963; 28 (Suppl): 3–114.Google Scholar
2.Peltola, H, Jönsdöttir, K, Lystad, A, Sievers, CJ, Kallings, I. Meningococcal disease in Scandinavia. BMJ 1982; 284: 1618–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Greenwood, BM. The epidemiology of acute bacterial meningitis in tropical Africa. In: Williams, JD, Burnie, J, eds. Bacterial meningitis. London: Academic Press Inc, 1987: 61–91.Google Scholar
4.Amedome, A, Boulay, E, D'Almeida, A et al. Les méningites purulentes au Togo. Médecine d'afrique Noire 1980; 27: 11–24.Google Scholar
5.Montefiore, D, Olanipekun, K, Sobayo, A, Sobayo, E. Pyogenic meningitis in Ibadan, Nigeria. Scand J Infect Dis 1978; 10: 113–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Waddy, BB. Climate and respiratory infections. Lancet 1952; ii; 674–7.Google Scholar
7.Greenwood, BM, Blakebrough, IS, Bradley, AK, Wali, S, Whittle, HC. Meningococcal disease and season in Sub-saharan Africa. Lancet 1984; i: 1339–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Etienne, J. Portage rhinopharyngé de méningocoques en Haute Volta. In: Table ronde sur l'immunoprophylaxie de la méningite cérébrospinale. Lyon, France: Fondation Mérieux, 1973:75–81.Google Scholar
9.Blakebrough, IS, Greenwood, BM, Whittle, HC, Bradley, AK, Gilles, HM. The epidemiology of infection due to Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in a Northern Nigerian community. J Infect Dis 1982; 146: 626–37.Google Scholar
10.Moore, PS, Hierholzer, J, DeWitt, W et al. Respiratory viruses and mycoplasma as cofactors for epidemic group A meningococcal meningitis. JAMA 1990; 264: 1271–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Wall, RA. Current problems in meningococcal disease. In: Duerden, BI, ed. Meningococcal infection – review. J Med Microbiol 1988; 26: 163–5.Google Scholar
12.Ghipponi, P, Darrigol, J, Skalova, R, Cvjetanovic, B. Study of bacterial air pollution in an arid region of Africa affected by cerebrospinal meningitis. Bull WHO 1971; 45: 95–101.Google Scholar
13.Bultot, F. Atlas climatique du Bassin Congolais, 3 Bruxelles: Publications de l'Institut National pour l'Etude Agronomique du Congo, 1972.Google Scholar
14.Thompson, BW. The climate of Africa, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965.Google Scholar
15.Jackson, SP. Climatological atlas of Africa, Lagos and Nairobi: Comissão de Cooperacão Tecnica en Africa ao Sul do Sara, 1965.Google Scholar
16.Turner, R, Hendley, JO, Hankins, W. Detection of meningococcal carriage by throat culture. J Infect Dis 1982; 145: 914.Google Scholar
17.Moore, PS. Meningococcal meningitis in Sub-saharan Africa: a model for the epidemic process. Rev Infect Dis 1992; 14: 515–25.Google Scholar
18.Beeckmans, G. Etude comparative de cent et onze cas de méningites purulentes chez l'enfant au Congo. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1960; 40: 579–600.Google Scholar
19.Omanga, U, Ntihinyurwa, M, Shako, D, Muaku, MM, Shango, L, Lungambi, M. Aspects étiologiques et évolutifs des méningites purulentes de l'enfant à Kinshasa. Médecine d'Afrique Noire 1980; 27: 25–34.Google Scholar
20.Lontie, M, Vandepitte, J, Gatti, M, Makulu, A. Bilan étiologique et épidémiologique de 474 cas de méningite microbienne observes à Kinshasa (République du Zaire). Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1973; 53: 619–32.Google Scholar
21.Frost, E, Flocard, F, Tibermont, G, Ivanoff, B. Etiology of meningitis in a semi-rural community in tropical Africa. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1987; 67: 277–82.Google Scholar
22.Mbolidi, CD, Cathebras, P, Lesbordes, JL, Ramiara, JP, Vohito, MD. Méningites graves de l'adulte à Bangui (RCA): recherche de facteurs pronostiques et possible impact de l'infection par le virus de l'immunodeficience humaine (VHI). Médecine d'Afrique Noire 1988; 35: 289–96.Google Scholar
23.Bernard-Bonnin, AC, Ekoe, T. Les méningites purulents de l'enfant à Yaounde: aspects épidémiologiques et pronostiques. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1985; 65: 59–68.Google Scholar
24.Nottidge, VA. Haemophilus influenzae meningitis: a 5-year study in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Infect 1985; 11: 109–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Ogunbi, O. Pyogenic meningitis in Lagos. West Afr Med J 1970; 19: 90–2.Google Scholar
26.Sodhi, HS, Djorjevic, L. Pyogenic meningitis. Ghana Med J 1966; 5: 115–17.Google Scholar
27.Couprie, F, Chippaux-Hyppolite, C. Les méningites purulentes à Abidjan. Médecine et Armées 1977; 5: 823–8.Google Scholar
28.Cadoz, M, Denis, F, Diop, Mar I. Etude épidémiologique des cas de méningites purulentes hospitalisés à Dakar pendant la décennie 1970–1979. Bull WHO 1981; 59: 575–84.Google Scholar
29.Cisse, MF, Sow, HD, Ouangre, AR et al. Bacterial meningitis in a pediatric hospital in a tropical zone. Med Trop Mars 1989; 49: 265–9.Google Scholar
30.Hutton, PW. Neurological disease in Uganda. East Afr Med J 1956; 33: 209–23.Google ScholarPubMed
31.Foster, WD, Hawgood, BC. The aetiology and laboratory diagnosis of meningitis in Kampala, Uganda. East Afr Med J 1966; 43: 309–14.Google Scholar
32.Warn, P, Newton, C, Marsh, V et al. Surveillance of bacterial isolates and their antibiotic resistance patterns in patients from a paediatric ward in rural Kenya. Abstracts of 5th International Congress for Infectious Diseases. Nairobi International Society for Infectious Diseases, 1992: 484.Google Scholar
33.Dube, SD.Shenderov, BA. Incidence and pattern of bacterial meningitis in Lusaka. Cent Afr J Med 1983; 29: 100–3.Google Scholar
34.Brown, KGE. Meningitis in Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. East Afr Med J 1975; 52: 377–85.Google Scholar
35.Liebowitz, LD, Koornhof, HJ.Barrett, M et al. Bacterial meningitis in Johannesburg – 1980–1982. S Afr Med J 1984; 66: 677–9.Google ScholarPubMed
36.Donald, PR, Burger, PJ, Becker, WB. Paediatric meningitis in the Western Cape. S Afr Med J 1986; 70: 391–5.Google ScholarPubMed
37.Coovadia, YM, Solwa, Z. Three latex agglutination tests compared with Gram staining for the detection of bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid. S Afr Med J 1987; 71: 442–4.Google ScholarPubMed
38.Koumare, B, Bougoudogo, F. Place of Haemophilus influenzae in bacterial meningitis in Mali. Abstracts of 5th International Congress for Infectious Diseases. Nairobi International Society for Infectious Diseases, 1992: 107.Google Scholar
39.Hailemeskel, H, Tafari, N. Bacterial meningitis in childhood in an African city. Acta Paediatr Scand 1978; 67: 725–30.Google Scholar
40.Girgis, NI, Sippel, JE, Kilpatrick, ME et al. Meningitis and encephalitis at Abbassia fever hospital, Cairo, Egypt, from 1966 to 1989. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1993; 48: 97–107.Google Scholar
41.Kandil, MR, Farrag, A-KF, El-Rehawy, M et al. Pyogenic meningitis in Assiut, Egypt. Infect Dis Clin Pract 1992; 1: 202–11.Google Scholar
42.Kabbage, D, Simon, A, Sekkat, L, Bennouna, A. Les méningites purulentes à méningocoques. Revue de 254 cas. J Med Maroc 1966; 2: 747–73.Google Scholar
43.Mpairwe, Y, Matovu, HL. Cerebrospinal meningitis in East Africa 1911–65. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1971; 65: 70–7.Google Scholar
44.Mirza, NB, Wamola, IA. Trends in meningococcal meningitis over the past thirteen years at Kenyatta National Hospital 1967–1979. East Afr Med J 1980; 57: 883–90.Google Scholar
45.Haberberger, RLJn, Fox, E, Asselin, P et al. Is Djibouti too hot and too humid for meningococci? Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1990; 84: 588.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46.Schwartz, B, Moore, PS, Broome, CV. Global epidemiology of meningococcal disease. Clin Microbiol Rev 1989; 2 (Suppl): S118–24.Google Scholar
47.Harrison, L, Broome, CV. The epidemiology of meningococcal meningitis in the United States civilian population. In: Vedros, N, ed. The evolution of meningococcal disease. Vol. I, Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press Inc, 1987: 27–45.Google Scholar
48.Tikhomirov, E. Meningococcal meningitis: global situation and control measures. World Health Stat Q 1987; 40: 98–109.Google Scholar
49.Cuevas, LE, Hart, CA. Acute bacterial meningitis in Malawi. Malawi Medical Journal 1991; 7: 2–6.Google Scholar
50.Lambotte-Legrand, J, Lambotte-Legrand, C. Une année d'activité pédiatrique en milieu indigène à Léopoldville. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1950; 30: 513–33.Google ScholarPubMed
51.Platel, G, Vandergoten, Y. Réflexions sur les résultats obtenus par une consultation de nourrissons an Mayombe (Congo Beige). Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1940; 20: 297–333.Google Scholar
52.Brutsaert, P. La méningite cérébro-spinale au Katanga (Congo Belge) Resultats de la vaccination prophylactique et de la sérothérapie anti-méningococciques obtenus a l'union minière du haut Katanga. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1931; 11: 11–41.Google Scholar
53.Vanden, Branden, Van, Hoof. La méningites cérébrospinale au Stanley Pool. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1922; 2: 21–36.Google Scholar
54.Pergher, G, Portois, F. Note sur l'épidémiologie et la prophylaxie de la méningite cérébrospinale au Ruanda-Urundi. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1936; 16: 345–66.Google Scholar
55.Cionini, A, Poncelet, E. L'Astreptine dans le traitement de la méningite cérébrospinale à méningocoques. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1939; 19: 485–8.Google Scholar
56.Bosmans, E, Vimont-Vicary, P, Andre, FE et al. Protective efficacy of a bivalent (A + C) meningococcal vaccine during a cerebrospinal meningitis epidemic in Rwanda. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop 1980; 60: 297–306.Google Scholar
57.Simpson, J. Meningococcal meningitis in Kitwe, Zambia. Med J Zambia 1976; 10: 11–6.Google Scholar
58.Marks, MI, Frasch, CE, Shapera, RM. Meningococcal colonization and infection in children and their household contacts. Am J Epidemiol 1979; 109: 563–71.Google Scholar
59.Gold, R, Goldschneider, I, Lepow, ML, Draper, TR, Randolph, M. Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in infants and children. J Infect Dis 1978; 137: 112–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
60.Njoku-Obi, AN, Agbo, JAC. Meningococcal carrier rates in parts of Eastern Nigeria. Bull WHO 1976; 54: 271–3.Google Scholar
61.Gugnani, HC, Uganabo, JA. Nasopharyngeal, vaginal and anal carriage of Neisgeria meningitidis in Nigeria. J Commun Dis 1989; 21: 41–5.Google Scholar
62.Sippel, JE, Girgis, NI. Meningococcal infection in Egypt: laboratory findings in meningitis patients and the prevalence of pharyngeal infection in patients and contacts. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1978; 27: 980–5.Google Scholar