| Popis: |
Epidemics of meningococcal meningitis are common in several African countries, including Benin. In northern Benin, part of the "meningitis belt", incidence has been increasing over the past decade, and lethality is high. The A and C serogroups are the primary causal agents. Recently, the appearance of the W135 strain in bordering countries induced considerable fear and necessitated more rigorous epidemiological surveillance in the north. Little epidemiologic information on the course and trends of these epidemics is available. The goal of this article is to describe the pattern of these outbreaks in two northern districts -- Atacora and Donga -- based on a retrospective collection and analysis of data from 16 health centres over the four-year period of 1998 through 2001. Crude incidence rates increased from 85 to 567 per 100,000 in Atacora and 71 to 619 per 100,000 in Donga. The fatality rate is higher in Donga (3.1%) than Atacora (2.7%). The epidemic pattern is bimodal in Atacora and unimodal in Donga, although they appear to have a common source. Comparison of the trends in the two districts indicated no significant differences (p0.05). The authors suggest that epidemiological data be collected and updated routinely, that vaccination against the A and C serogroups be reinforced while awaiting a vaccine against W135, and that epidemiological surveillance be intensified, in Donga and especially along the border area between Atacora and Togo. |
