Global epidemiology of meningococcal disease
Vaccine·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.04.063
- PMID
- 19477562
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W1989011168
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Surveillance data are essential for vaccine formulation, vaccination policy decisions, and monitoring vaccine impact. The dynamic and regionally variable epidemiology of meningococcal disease necessitates ongoing surveillance to guide public health interventions.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This review examines geographic and temporal variation in meningococcal disease epidemiology, including incidence patterns, serogroup distribution, and the role of surveillance in informing vaccination policy.
Study design
Narrative review synthesizing available surveillance data and epidemiologic reports on meningococcal disease across global regions.
Population and setting
Global populations across sub-Saharan Africa (meningitis belt), the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, with varying incidence rates ranging from 0.2 to over 1000 cases per 100,000 during epidemics.
Main findings
The meningitis belt of sub-Saharan Africa experiences the highest incidence, reaching 1000 per 100,000 during epidemics, with serogroup A historically dominant but serogroups C, X, and W-135 also emerging. The Americas report 0.3-4 cases per 100,000, primarily serogroups C and B, with Y and W-135 increasingly observed. European incidence ranges from 0.2 to 14 per 100,000, with serogroup B predominating, especially after serogroup C vaccine introduction. Serogroup B dominates in Australia and New Zealand due to vaccination impact and epidemic activity, while limited Asian data suggest serogroups A and C are most common.
Public-health relevance
Surveillance data are essential for vaccine formulation, vaccination policy decisions, and monitoring vaccine impact. The dynamic and regionally variable epidemiology of meningococcal disease necessitates ongoing surveillance to guide public health interventions.
Important limitations
Data availability is limited in some global regions. This summary relies on the supplied single-article abstract and bibliographic metadata; original paper review is required for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
The article's classifier links to meningococcal disease, multiple countries, and topics including surveillance and vaccination indicate its discoverability for users monitoring infectious disease epidemiology and immunization programs. This reflects the article's scope and subject tags, not a connection to any live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 14 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.