@article {310728,
	title = {Meningitis epidemics in Africa: a brief overview.},
	journal = {Vaccine},
	volume = {25 Suppl 1},
	year = {2007},
	month = {09/2007},
	pages = {A3-7},
	abstract = {<p>Every year, meningococcal meningitis causes thousands of deaths within the meningitis belt in sub-Saharan African countries. Large epidemic waves occur with a periodicity of 5-12 years. The waves do correspond to molecular changes in the expression of capsular or subcapsular antigens, which allow the bug to spread in susceptible populations. Serogroup A remains the major killer, even if in 2002, serogroup W135 ST-11 emerged in Burkina Faso, causing an important epidemic. However, the surveillance in the following years has showed a decrease in the W135 incidence and a clear predominance of serogroup A. Moreover, a new serogroup A strain belonging to ST-2859 seems to emerge and does represent a new threat for the coming seasons. In a vaccine perspective, and especially in the context of the development of an A conjugate vaccine; it is the key to strengthen the surveillance systems and to include molecular epidemiology as a tool for monitoring the molecular evolution of Neisseria meningitidis in Africa.</p>
},
	keywords = {Africa, Disease Outbreaks, Geography, Humans, Meningitis, Meningococcal, Meningococcal Vaccines},
	issn = {0264-410X},
	doi = {10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.04.032},
	author = {Teyssou, R. and Muros-Le Rouzic, E.}
}
