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. 2019 Oct 31;220(220 Suppl 4):S148-S154.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz308.

MenAfriNet: A Network Supporting Case-Based Meningitis Surveillance and Vaccine Evaluation in the Meningitis Belt of Africa

Jaymin C Patel  1 , Heidi M Soeters  1 , Alpha Oumar Diallo  1 , Brice W Bicaba  2 , Goumbi Kadadé  3 , Assétou Y Dembélé  4 , Mahamat A Acyl  5 , Christelle Nikiema  6 , Clement Lingani  7 , Cynthia Hatcher  1 , Anna M Acosta  1 , Jennifer D Thomas  1 , Fabien Diomande  1 , Stacey Martin  1 , Thomas A Clark  1 , Richard Mihigo  8 , Rana A Hajjeh  1 , Catherine H Zilber  9 , Flavien Aké  10 , Sarah A Mbaeyi  1 , Xin Wang  1 , Jennifer C Moisi  11 , Olivier Ronveaux  12 , Jason M Mwenda  8 , Ryan T Novak  1 ; MenAfriNet Consortium
Affiliations

MenAfriNet: A Network Supporting Case-Based Meningitis Surveillance and Vaccine Evaluation in the Meningitis Belt of Africa

Jaymin C Patel et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Meningococcal meningitis remains a significant public health threat, especially in the African meningitis belt where Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A historically caused large-scale epidemics. With the rollout of a novel meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV) in the belt, the World Health Organization recommended case-based meningitis surveillance to monitor MACV impact and meningitis epidemiology. In 2014, the MenAfriNet consortium was established to support strategic implementation of case-based meningitis surveillance in 5 key countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Togo. MenAfriNet aimed to develop a high-quality surveillance network using standardized laboratory and data collection protocols, develop sustainable systems for data management and analysis to monitor MACV impact, and leverage the surveillance platform to perform special studies. We describe the MenAfriNet consortium, its history, strategy, implementation, accomplishments, and challenges.

Keywords: meningitis; meningitis belt; sub-Saharan Africa; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. J. C. M. participated in the MenAfriNet Consortium while working at Agence de Médecine Préventive but is now an employee of Pfizer, Inc. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Countries in the African meningitis belt (in light gray) and the 5 MenAfriNet countries (in orange).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The MenAfriNet model for surveillance strengthening. ID, infectious diseases; QA, quality assurance; QC, quality control.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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