Emerging Infectious Diseases (Mar 2014)

Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W, Burkina Faso, 2012

  • Jessica R. MacNeil,
  • Isaïe Medah,
  • Daouda Koussoubé,
  • Ryan T. Novak,
  • Amanda C. Cohn,
  • Fabien V.K. Diomandé,
  • Denis Yelbeogo,
  • Jean Ludovic Kambou,
  • Tiga F. Tarbangdo,
  • Rasmata Ouédraogo-Traoré,
  • Lassana Sangaré,
  • Cynthia Hatcher,
  • Jeni Vuong,
  • Leonard W. Mayer,
  • Mamoudou H. Djingarey,
  • Thomas A. Clark,
  • Nancy E. Messonnier

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2003.131407
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 3
pp. 402 – 407

Abstract

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In 2010, Burkina Faso became the first country to introduce meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT). During 2012, Burkina Faso reported increases in Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W, raising questions about whether these cases were a natural increase in disease or resulted from serogroup replacement after PsA-TT introduction. We analyzed national surveillance data to describe the epidemiology of serogroup W and genotyped 61 serogroup W isolates. In 2012, a total of 5,807 meningitis cases were reported through enhanced surveillance, of which 2,353 (41%) were laboratory confirmed. The predominant organism identified was N. meningitidis serogroup W (62%), and all serogroup W isolates characterized belonged to clonal complex 11. Although additional years of data are needed before we can understand the epidemiology of serogroup W after PsA–TT introduction, these data suggest that serogroup W will remain a major cause of sporadic disease and has epidemic potential, underscoring the need to maintain high-quality case-based meningitis surveillance after PsA–TT introduction. Download MP3 Length: 1:40

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