A surveillance network for meningococcal disease in Europe

Abstract

Between 1999 and 2004, the European Union Invasive Bacterial Infections Surveillance Network (EU-IBIS) received c. 50,000 reports of meningococcal disease from 27 participating countries. Analysis has demonstrated a major decline in the incidence of invasive disease in those countries that have introduced routine vaccination against serogroup C infection. The establishment of rapid reporting of W135 and B2a/B2b strains has been able to provide early reassurance that these strains are not emerging as major public health problems in Europe. Between September 2001 and February 2005, the EU-MenNet project offered further opportunities for enhancing this data resource. Collaborative projects included: improving the EU-IBIS website; reviewing case ascertainment in Europe; reviewing cost-effectiveness studies for meningococcal serogroup C conjugate (MCC) vaccination; international comparisons of MCC vaccine efficacy; and mathematical modelling studies. In addition, linking of data from the European Meningococcal Multi-locus Sequence Type Centre to epidemiological data was performed. Particular clonal complexes were found to be preferentially associated with certain serogroups. Case fatality was also found to vary with clonal complex, suggesting that genotype can be a marker for hypervirulence. The importance of close collaboration between networks of epidemiologists, microbiologists, and the wider scientific and public health community is demonstrated.

Immunogenicity and safety of a CRM-conjugated meningococcal ACWY vaccine administered concomitantly with routine vaccines starting at 2 months of age

“…7,25,26 The development of a sufficiently immunogenic vaccine to broadly protect infants from meningococcal disease has proven challenging. Recent studies in this vulnerable population have demonstrated promising results for MenACWY-CRM as indicated by robust immune responses against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y and a well-tolerated safety profile.…”

Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculous Meningitis

“…First, our study is based on a single hospital and this may imply that the results may only be applicable to places with a population structure and local ecology similar to ours. However, changes in the spectrum of ABM similar to those observed in our study have been described, especially those referring to the epidemiology of meningococcal disease [2,[24][25][26]. Moreover, the pattern of population change documented in Spain, has also been reported in other Western, mainly European countries [27].…”

Meningococcal B vaccine development and evaluation of efficacy

“…28 For the selection of test strains and calculation of possible coverage of a new vaccine, designed to cover MenB disease broadly needs comprehensive surveillance of MenB disease. The EU-IBIS collection in Europe 15 and the CDC collection in the US are representative for European and the US MenB isolates. These are very important collections for the burden of disease in these western world countries.…”

“…14 In this respect it is important to note that the majority of the sero-subtypes causing disease were shown to belong to a restricted number of infectious clones. 15 The PorA-sero-subtypes belonging to these clones are covered in NonaMen ® .…”