Meningitis shows downward trend

Burkina Faso recorded 1,368 deaths from meningitis out of 11,899 cases as at 28 April, with a weekly case-fatality rate that indicated a downward trend in the epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday. Most new infections, the Ministry of Health reported recently, were of the W135 strain which was introduced into the country by African Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2000. Vaccines for W135 meningitis exist in limited quantities worldwide and at 35,000 to 40,000 francs CFA (US $47 to $53) a dose, were expensive. The emergence of W135, WHO said in an update on the disease, had major implications for public health in the African continent. A research agenda on it had been agreed with the Ministry of Health, supported by the Epicentre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Meningococci, Norway, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, United States and l'Association pour la Médecine préventive (AMP), it added. Meningitis in Burkina Faso was first reported in January in the eastern district of Diapaga. Since then, the Ministry of Health has reported cases in all of the country's 53 districts, the Federation said. By 11 April, it had killed 1,056 people and infected 8,500 in 14 districts. Meanwhile in Niger, 3, 518 cases including 308 deaths were reported as at 21 April, particularly in the southern districts of Matamey (Zinder), Dakaro and Guidan-Roumdji where cases are still being reported, WHO said. The two countries are among the West African countries located in Africa's meningitis belt that comprises about 15 countries immediately south of the Sahara where outbreaks of the disease occur each year. The outbreaks usually start during the dry season, around November, and decline rapidly with the arrival of rains around June. Major epidemics usually occur every 5-10 years.