Explainer: Nigeria rolls out world's first full shot against meningitis: Here's what you need to know

livus, 24 days ago

From the article:

Since 2010, Africa, which sees the highest burden of meningitis infection in the world, has been fighting outbreaks using the MenAfriVac vaccine. Although it has successfully eradicated about 80% of meningitis infections across the continent, the vaccine only protects against a single strain of the meningococcal bacteria, serogroup A.

That means Africans haven't had protection against the four other strains of the bacteria (C, W, Y and X), all of which cause the disease. Cases of meningitis have continued to rise in meningitis-prone areas, and have been attributed to the C, W, Y, and X strains, but not the A strain.

Last year, reported meningitis cases jumped 50% across Africa, according to the WHO. "According to any standards, it's unbearable to keep this disease burden," Marie-Pierre Preziosi, an expert on meningitis at the WHO, told DW. Between October 2023 and mid-March of this year, Nigeria experienced an outbreak of the C strain, which led to around 1,700 suspected meningitis cases and some 150 deaths across the country, the WHO reports. The vaccine was rolled out to address that epidemic. Other countries, such as Togo, have seen similar outbreaks in past years.

Meningitis belt

Africans located in the 26 countries considered part of the continent's meningitis belt are more susceptible than anyone in the world to meningitis. Preziosi said that is because of the area's climate.

At any given time, around 10% of the global population is carrying the bacteria that causes meningitis in the back of their throat or nose. The bacteria normally sits in mucus membranes, which protects against the spread of bacterial infection. Trouble only comes when the membrane is breached, allowing the bacteria to enter the bloodstream......

Even with early diagnosis and antibiotics, meningitis is deadly in about 10% of cases, and about 20% of those infected experience long-term health issues. "For those who survive, one-in-five can develop long-lasting disabilities — that can be neurological disabilities, loss of hearing, deafness, also losing limbs," said Preziosi. “So it's quite dramatic, and it can drive a whole community into poverty.” Meningitis is most commonly spread through droplets from coughing, sneezing or kissing. The incubation period is generally between three and four days.

Initial symptoms are usually non-specific and can look like the flu. If untreated, the carrier can develop high fever, light sensitivity, neck stiffness, bleeding in the skin and, in the worst cases, blood poisoning that can lead to sepsis. Infection leads to the inflammation of membranes surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord.

By protecting people from all five strains of meningitis, experts hope the new Men5CV vaccine will prevent the burden of the disease initially in the African meningitis belt, but eventually in other meningitis-prone regions.
Men5CV vaccine rollout

The Men5CV vaccine rolled out in Nigeria has been in the works for 13 years,, and uses the same infection fighting mechanism as the MenAfriVac....