The Bacterial Meningitis Epidemic in Banalia in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2021

oleh: Andre Arsene Bita Fouda, Anderson Latt, Abdoulaye Sinayoko, Franck Fortune Roland Mboussou, Lorenzo Pezzoli, Katya Fernandez, Clement Lingani, Berthe Miwanda, Dorothée Bulemfu, Francis Baelongandi, Patrick Mbenga Likita, Marie-José Kikoo Bora, Marcel Sabiti, Gervais Leon Folefack Tengomo, Eugène Kabambi Kabangu, Guy Kalambayi Kabamba, Issifou Alassani, Muhamed-Kheir Taha, Ado Mpia Bwaka, Charles Shey Wiysonge, Benido Impouma

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-04-01

Deskripsi

Background: The Banalia health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo reported a meningitis epidemic in 2021 that evolved outside the epidemic season. We assessed the effects of the meningitis epidemic response. Methods: The standard case definition was used to identify cases. Care was provided to 2651 in-patients, with 8% of them laboratory tested, and reactive vaccination was conducted. To assess the effects of reactive vaccination and treatment with ceftriaxone, a statistical analysis was performed. Results: Overall, 2662 suspected cases of meningitis with 205 deaths were reported. The highest number of cases occurred in the 30–39 years age group (927; 38.5%). Ceftriaxone contributed to preventing deaths with a case fatality rate that decreased from 70.4% before to 7.7% after ceftriaxone was introduced (<i>p</i> = 0.001). <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> W was isolated, accounting for 47/57 (82%), of which 92% of the strains belonged to the clonal complex 11. Reactive vaccination of individuals in Banalia aged 1–19 years with a meningococcal multivalent conjugate (ACWY) vaccine (Menactra<sup>®</sup>) coverage of 104.6% resulted in an 82% decline in suspected meningitis cases (incidence rate ratio, 0.18; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.80; <i>p</i> = 0.041). Conclusion: Despite late detection (two months) and reactive vaccination four months after crossing the epidemic threshold, interventions implemented in Banalia contributed to the control of the epidemic.