Portage rhino-pharenge de meningocoque X dans une ecole primaire de Niamey (Niger)

This study of pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a school in Niamey; Nigeria was carried out to confirm the feasibility of evaluating the impact of conjugate vaccine on the meningococcal carriage. All 90 pupils attending the school we re examined during the dry season in Feb ru a ry 1998. All ch i l d ren had been va c c i n ated using poly s a c ch a ride A/C in 1996. Samples were collected from the soft palate and immediately seeded on selective medium. After incubation at 37oC for 24 hours; suspicious colonies we re re-seeded on Muller-Hinton medium. Identifi c ation of N. meningitidis was based on standard biochemical criteria; agglutination grouping and DNA fingerprinting. Seven carriers of N. meningitidis X:NT:P1.5 were fo u n d. One of these carriers also presented a strain of N. meningi t i s A:4:P1.9. The high prevalence of serogroup X strains coincided with an outbreak of meningitis involving the same sub-type and sequence-type in Niamey

Compte rendu d'un atelier sur les epidemies de meningite a meningocoque; Niamey; 12-14 janvier 1998

Constatant la dramatique extension des epidemies de meningite depuis 1994 malgre l'existence d'un vaccin efficace contre les meningites epidemiques; le Conseil scientifique de l'Organisation de Coordination et de Cooperation pour la lutte contre les Endemies (OCCGE) a demande au Centre de Recherche sur les Meningites et les Schistosomoses (CERMES) d'animer une reflexion sur ce sujet avec les experts des pays membres de l'OCCGE

The WHO collaborating centre for research and control of schistosomiasis at Niamey, Niger

The Centre de Recherche sur les Meningites et les Schistosomes (CERMES) is a research institute depending on the Organisation de Coordination et de Cooperation pour la lutte contre les Grandes Endemies - a West African Organisation for Public Health - devoted to the studies on schistosomiasis and meningitis. The staff includes 32 persons with 11 scientists and one financial officer. The activities of the CERMES involving schistosomiasis concern three research units: (a) ecology of human and animal schistosomiasis transmission: the CERMES defined the different patterns of schistosomiasis transmission in Niger (involving African dry savana); in this field, we have shown, (i) the existence of important variability in conditions of transmission of S. haematobium and, (ii) natural hybridization between parasite species of the ruminants (s. bovis and S. curassoni) and genetic interaction between human and animal parasites; (b) definition of morbidity indicators usable for rapid assessment methods, for appraisal of the severity of the disease and for the evaluation of the efficiency of control methods; we have established the correlation between ultrasonographic data and some cheap and sample field indicators; (c) immune response and protective immunity by recombinant glutathion S-transferase (Sm28, Sb28 and Sh28) in homologous and heterologous animal including goats, sheep and non human primates (Erythocebus patas). In Niger, we participate in all control programs against schistosomiasis to define control strategies, to supervise operations and to participate in their evaluation with external experts. International collaborations constitute a frame including four laboratories in Africa and six labotatories in developed countries (Europe and USA).

La meningite cerebro-spinale dans les Etats membres de l'OCCGE

Les auteurs presentent la situation epidemiologique actuelle de l'endemie meningococcique a Neisseria meningitis en Afrique inter tropicale; en particulier dans les pays de l'OCCGE. La diffusion de Neisseria meningitis A:4:1.9 clone III-1 correspond a une extension significative de la zone d'endemie et a une modification sensible des caracteres epidemiologiques. Les auteurs rappellent brievement la conduite a tenir en cas d'epidemie