Reasonable Rascal
02-12-03, 22:06
MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE UPDATE 2003 (03)
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post
In this issue:
Africa
[1] Nigeria
[2] Vaccine distribution in Africa
[3] & [4] Burkina Faso
[5] Ghana
[6] Uganda
Europe
[7] UK
[8] Ireland
******
[1] Nigeria
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: BBC 12 Feb 2003 [edited]
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2752401.stm>
Meningitis kills hundreds in Africa
----------------------------------
At least 200 people have died in a meningitis epidemic in the Nigerian state of Zamfara in the past 3 days. Women, children, and middle-aged men are the groups most affected by the epidemic.
Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that millions of people across Africa are to be vaccinated against a new killer strain of meningitis.
The governor of Zamfara state, Mammam Bawa, said that medical teams with vaccines would be sent to the 4 councils affected by the epidemic. Mr Bawa said in a broadcast that tents had already been erected for an isolation camp where patients will be treated to prevent the epidemic spreading. The BBC's Ibrahim Dossara in Zamfara says that some rural people are not getting vaccinated because they do not believe it protects them.
Officials have urged people to go for free consultations in the nearest health center to check for the first symptoms of meningitis, which include fever, headaches, and a stiffening of the neck.
Last week, the WHO said it had shipped an initial batch of 100,000 vaccines to Burkina Faso. The decision followed fears of a possible epidemic across what health chiefs describe as Africa's meningitis belt, which stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia.
The vaccine will protect against the more common meningitis strains A and C and also the virulent W135 strain. This strain of the disease was found in sporadic cases on the continent last year.
******
[2] African Vaccine Distribution
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Agence France Presse [edited]
<http://www.afp.com/english/home>
UN Distributes Cheap Meningitis Vaccine in Africa
-------------------------------------------------
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it has begun distribution of an inexpensive meningitis vaccine in Africa designed to fight strains of the disease that include a new strain that has been ravaging Burkina Faso. The ACW135 vaccine will act against meningitis A and meningitis C, the more common versions of the illness, and will fight the W135 strain that infected thousands of people in Burkina Faso in 2002.
The group said that 21 countries in the "African meningitis area," from Ethiopia in the east to Senegal in the west, will receive as many as 3 million doses of the vaccine at prices that reflect their various levels of financial need. The WHO said that it asked for help from pharmaceutical companies on the manufacture of the vaccine, and GlaxoSmithKline responded within just a few months with the vaccine as requested, while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid for most of the cost of the project.
******
[3] Burkina Faso
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003
From: Marianne Hopp
Source: WHO Outbreak Report [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_02_07/en/>
Meningococcal disease in Burkina Faso - Update
---------------------------------
In the week of 26 Jan-2 Feb 2003, the Ministry of Health has reported 369 cases and 58 deaths in the country ( see previous report below). Of the 53 districts in Burkina Faso, 4 districts have reached the epidemic threshold: Batie, Leo, Sapone, and Manga (in alert phase but neighboring a district in the epidemic phase); and 7 districts are in the alert phase: Dande, Nanoro, Reo, Titao, Zabre, and Zorgho.
The Crisis Committee established by the Ministry of Health is implementing measures to contain the outbreak. WHO, with its partners in the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision for Epidemic Meningitis Control (ICG) is working to provide Burkina Faso with the trivalent vaccine recently made available. This vaccine, which covers _Neisseria meningitidis_ serogroups A, C, and W135 will be used to respond to the needs of countries in the African meningitis belt.
******
[4] Burkina Faso
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003
From: Marianne Hopp
Source: WHO Outbreak Report [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_02_04/en/>
During 1-26 Jan 2003, the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso has reported 980 cases and 196 deaths (case-fatality rate, 20 percent) in the country. On 26 Jan 2003, 4 districts, Batie, Kossodo, Manga, and Tenkodogo, were in the alert phase, although none had crossed the epidemic threshold.
For more details about the epidemic threshold principle, see the article, "Detecting meningococcal meningitis epidemics in highly-endemic African countries" in the Weekly Epidemiological Record. <http://www.who.int/wer/pdf/2000/wer7538.pdf>
Of a total of 28 specimens collected in 3 districts (Nanoro, Paul VI, Pissy), the National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed _Neisseria meningitidis_ serogroup W135 in 10 samples, _Streptococcus pneumoniae_ in 8, and _Haemophilus influenzae_ type b in 4. The Ministry of Health is implementing control measures to contain the outbreak, including the pre-positioning of laboratory materials and oily chloramphenicol at district level, enhanced epidemiological surveillance, training of health personnel, and social mobilization in communities.
******
[5] Ghana
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: AllAfrica.com and Accra Mail [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200302050584.html>
Several Die From CSM Outbreak
------------------------------------
Several people are reported dead in the Sawla-Kalba area of the Bole District in the Northern Region following an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) in the area. Since the beginning of January 2003 when the outbreak was reported, 3 people die almost every day, while many of the victims were hospitalized.
The intervention of the Ministry of Health in the area has, however, brought the situation under control. Mr Joseph Trumah Bayel, Member of Parliament for Sawla-Kalba, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Tuesday that following the outbreak, the Tuna-Wura, Abdulai Ewuntomah, had placed a temporary ban on the celebrations of funerals in the Soma area where most of the people are affected.
The MP said even though the situation had been brought under control, there was the need to take prompt action before the setting in of the hot weather in the northern regions.
Mr Bayel appealed to the Ministry of Health to send enough vaccines to the area to contain the situation before it gets out of hand. He also advised the people to refrain from sleeping in congested rooms since that was likely to compound the spread of the disease.
******
[6] Uganda
Date: 20 Jan 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Ugandan Ministry of Health Weekly Epidemiological Newsletter
3rd Week of 2003 (Week ending 19 Jan 2003) [edited]
A meningoccocal meningitis outbreak is going on in Nebbi district. The district reported 32 cases with one death in the week, compared to 9 cases reported in the previous week. Laboratory investigations isolated _Neisseria meningitidis_ type A as the causative organism. A total of 18 other districts reported sporadic cases of suspected meningitis. The ministry of health is working with the Nebbi DHT to investigate and control the outbreak.
******
[7] UK
Date: 3 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: This is South Devon [edited]
<http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk>
Vaccine Beating Killer Disease
-------------------------------
Cases of meningitis are declining fast in South Devon as a new vaccine begins to take effect. The meningitis C vaccine [the newer conjugated serotype C vaccine - Mod.LL] was introduced just over 3 years ago. The latest figures of 40 cases in the last year are less than half the peak of 82 cases reached in 2000. The news comes as the peak season for meningitis and septicaemia draws near. Parents are being warned to remain vigilant for the flu-like symptoms of the different strains of meningitis. The vaccination program is now available to everyone under the age of 24, and is routinely given to babies.
******
[8] Ireland
Date: 29 Jan 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Irish Times [edited]
<http://www.ireland.com>
Meningitis Total Dropped by 122
----------------------------------
Speaking at the launch of Meningitis Awareness Month, which runs through Feb 2003, Ireland's Minister of State for Health and Children, Brian Lenihan, reported that the total number of [meningococcal] meningitis cases last year dropped by 122, in large part because of the success of the [conjugated - Mod.LL] meningitis C vaccine. In all, there were 274 cases of bacterial meningitis reported in Ireland in 2002, including 12 cases that resulted in death.
Most of the cases were caused by group B meningitis, for which there is currently no vaccine; however, cases of meningitis C totaled just 14 last year, down from 139 in 2000, reflecting the impact of the vaccine against the strain. Lenihan also called on individuals between the ages of 18 and 22 years to get immunized against meningitis C, noting that coverage for this age group was not as high as had been expected.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post
In this issue:
Africa
[1] Nigeria
[2] Vaccine distribution in Africa
[3] & [4] Burkina Faso
[5] Ghana
[6] Uganda
Europe
[7] UK
[8] Ireland
******
[1] Nigeria
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: BBC 12 Feb 2003 [edited]
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2752401.stm>
Meningitis kills hundreds in Africa
----------------------------------
At least 200 people have died in a meningitis epidemic in the Nigerian state of Zamfara in the past 3 days. Women, children, and middle-aged men are the groups most affected by the epidemic.
Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that millions of people across Africa are to be vaccinated against a new killer strain of meningitis.
The governor of Zamfara state, Mammam Bawa, said that medical teams with vaccines would be sent to the 4 councils affected by the epidemic. Mr Bawa said in a broadcast that tents had already been erected for an isolation camp where patients will be treated to prevent the epidemic spreading. The BBC's Ibrahim Dossara in Zamfara says that some rural people are not getting vaccinated because they do not believe it protects them.
Officials have urged people to go for free consultations in the nearest health center to check for the first symptoms of meningitis, which include fever, headaches, and a stiffening of the neck.
Last week, the WHO said it had shipped an initial batch of 100,000 vaccines to Burkina Faso. The decision followed fears of a possible epidemic across what health chiefs describe as Africa's meningitis belt, which stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia.
The vaccine will protect against the more common meningitis strains A and C and also the virulent W135 strain. This strain of the disease was found in sporadic cases on the continent last year.
******
[2] African Vaccine Distribution
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Agence France Presse [edited]
<http://www.afp.com/english/home>
UN Distributes Cheap Meningitis Vaccine in Africa
-------------------------------------------------
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it has begun distribution of an inexpensive meningitis vaccine in Africa designed to fight strains of the disease that include a new strain that has been ravaging Burkina Faso. The ACW135 vaccine will act against meningitis A and meningitis C, the more common versions of the illness, and will fight the W135 strain that infected thousands of people in Burkina Faso in 2002.
The group said that 21 countries in the "African meningitis area," from Ethiopia in the east to Senegal in the west, will receive as many as 3 million doses of the vaccine at prices that reflect their various levels of financial need. The WHO said that it asked for help from pharmaceutical companies on the manufacture of the vaccine, and GlaxoSmithKline responded within just a few months with the vaccine as requested, while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid for most of the cost of the project.
******
[3] Burkina Faso
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003
From: Marianne Hopp
Source: WHO Outbreak Report [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_02_07/en/>
Meningococcal disease in Burkina Faso - Update
---------------------------------
In the week of 26 Jan-2 Feb 2003, the Ministry of Health has reported 369 cases and 58 deaths in the country ( see previous report below). Of the 53 districts in Burkina Faso, 4 districts have reached the epidemic threshold: Batie, Leo, Sapone, and Manga (in alert phase but neighboring a district in the epidemic phase); and 7 districts are in the alert phase: Dande, Nanoro, Reo, Titao, Zabre, and Zorgho.
The Crisis Committee established by the Ministry of Health is implementing measures to contain the outbreak. WHO, with its partners in the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision for Epidemic Meningitis Control (ICG) is working to provide Burkina Faso with the trivalent vaccine recently made available. This vaccine, which covers _Neisseria meningitidis_ serogroups A, C, and W135 will be used to respond to the needs of countries in the African meningitis belt.
******
[4] Burkina Faso
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003
From: Marianne Hopp
Source: WHO Outbreak Report [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_02_04/en/>
During 1-26 Jan 2003, the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso has reported 980 cases and 196 deaths (case-fatality rate, 20 percent) in the country. On 26 Jan 2003, 4 districts, Batie, Kossodo, Manga, and Tenkodogo, were in the alert phase, although none had crossed the epidemic threshold.
For more details about the epidemic threshold principle, see the article, "Detecting meningococcal meningitis epidemics in highly-endemic African countries" in the Weekly Epidemiological Record. <http://www.who.int/wer/pdf/2000/wer7538.pdf>
Of a total of 28 specimens collected in 3 districts (Nanoro, Paul VI, Pissy), the National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed _Neisseria meningitidis_ serogroup W135 in 10 samples, _Streptococcus pneumoniae_ in 8, and _Haemophilus influenzae_ type b in 4. The Ministry of Health is implementing control measures to contain the outbreak, including the pre-positioning of laboratory materials and oily chloramphenicol at district level, enhanced epidemiological surveillance, training of health personnel, and social mobilization in communities.
******
[5] Ghana
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: AllAfrica.com and Accra Mail [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200302050584.html>
Several Die From CSM Outbreak
------------------------------------
Several people are reported dead in the Sawla-Kalba area of the Bole District in the Northern Region following an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) in the area. Since the beginning of January 2003 when the outbreak was reported, 3 people die almost every day, while many of the victims were hospitalized.
The intervention of the Ministry of Health in the area has, however, brought the situation under control. Mr Joseph Trumah Bayel, Member of Parliament for Sawla-Kalba, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Tuesday that following the outbreak, the Tuna-Wura, Abdulai Ewuntomah, had placed a temporary ban on the celebrations of funerals in the Soma area where most of the people are affected.
The MP said even though the situation had been brought under control, there was the need to take prompt action before the setting in of the hot weather in the northern regions.
Mr Bayel appealed to the Ministry of Health to send enough vaccines to the area to contain the situation before it gets out of hand. He also advised the people to refrain from sleeping in congested rooms since that was likely to compound the spread of the disease.
******
[6] Uganda
Date: 20 Jan 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Ugandan Ministry of Health Weekly Epidemiological Newsletter
3rd Week of 2003 (Week ending 19 Jan 2003) [edited]
A meningoccocal meningitis outbreak is going on in Nebbi district. The district reported 32 cases with one death in the week, compared to 9 cases reported in the previous week. Laboratory investigations isolated _Neisseria meningitidis_ type A as the causative organism. A total of 18 other districts reported sporadic cases of suspected meningitis. The ministry of health is working with the Nebbi DHT to investigate and control the outbreak.
******
[7] UK
Date: 3 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: This is South Devon [edited]
<http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk>
Vaccine Beating Killer Disease
-------------------------------
Cases of meningitis are declining fast in South Devon as a new vaccine begins to take effect. The meningitis C vaccine [the newer conjugated serotype C vaccine - Mod.LL] was introduced just over 3 years ago. The latest figures of 40 cases in the last year are less than half the peak of 82 cases reached in 2000. The news comes as the peak season for meningitis and septicaemia draws near. Parents are being warned to remain vigilant for the flu-like symptoms of the different strains of meningitis. The vaccination program is now available to everyone under the age of 24, and is routinely given to babies.
******
[8] Ireland
Date: 29 Jan 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Irish Times [edited]
<http://www.ireland.com>
Meningitis Total Dropped by 122
----------------------------------
Speaking at the launch of Meningitis Awareness Month, which runs through Feb 2003, Ireland's Minister of State for Health and Children, Brian Lenihan, reported that the total number of [meningococcal] meningitis cases last year dropped by 122, in large part because of the success of the [conjugated - Mod.LL] meningitis C vaccine. In all, there were 274 cases of bacterial meningitis reported in Ireland in 2002, including 12 cases that resulted in death.
Most of the cases were caused by group B meningitis, for which there is currently no vaccine; however, cases of meningitis C totaled just 14 last year, down from 139 in 2000, reflecting the impact of the vaccine against the strain. Lenihan also called on individuals between the ages of 18 and 22 years to get immunized against meningitis C, noting that coverage for this age group was not as high as had been expected.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>