Trends in Neisseria meningitidis serogroups amongst patients with suspected cerebrospinal meningitis in the meningitis belt of Ghana: a 5-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis was the major cause of meningococcal meningitis epidemics in the African meningitis belt before 2010 when the monovalent meningococcal A conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVac) was introduced in the region. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the trends in N. meningitidis serogroups from 2016 to 2020 in Ghana's meningitis belt. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed laboratory results of suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis from January, 2016 to March, 2020 were obtained from the Tamale Public Health Laboratory. The data were subjected to trend analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. Differences between discrete variables were analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. RESULTS: Of the 2,426 suspected cases, 395 (16.3%) were confirmed positive for N. meningitidis using PCR. Serogroup X showed a significant upward trend (P < 0.01), and serogroup W showed a downward trend (P < 0.01). However, no significant trend was observed for any other serogroup. CONCLUSION: This study showed the emergence of serogroup X, a non-vaccine type, as the predominant N. meningitidis serogroup in the wake of a declining serogroup W in Ghana's meningitis belt.

Common bacteria in sputum or gastric lavage of patients presenting with signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections.

INTRODUCTION: lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are infections involving the trachea, primary bronchi and lungs. People with LRTIs typically experience coughs as the primary symptoms; however, shortness of breath, weakness, fever and fatigue may be coupled with the cough. It is common among the aged, children under five and the immune-suppressed. Persons with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) may have tuberculosis, other respiratory tract infection or co-infection of tuberculosis and other respiratory pathogens. This study aimed to identify the presence of pathogens in sputum of suspected tuberculosis cases and their antimicrobial resistance patterns. METHODS: this was a retrospective study conducted from September 2018 to November 2019 at Tamale Public Health Laboratory. Sputum or gastric lavage samples were collected from persons with suspected clinical presentations of TB and/or LRTI. These samples were cultured using standard microbiological protocols and antimicrobial susceptibility test performed on the positive cultures by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Molecular identification of M. tuberculosis was performed on all the suspected TB cases using GeneXpert mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampin (MTB/RIF) assay. RESULTS: during the study period, there were 264 cases of which 49.2% were males and 50.8% were females. Positive cases for culture were 47.3%. Out of the 264 cases, 186 (70.5%) were suspected TB with 51.6% being positive for culture, 6.5% positive for M. tuberculosis (GeneXpert confirmed) and 3.8% co-infection of TB with other bacteria pathogens. Klebsiella spp. (35/125; 28%) and Pseudomonas spp. (19/125; 15.2%) were the most predominant pathogens isolated. There was no significant difference in detection of bacteria in males and females (p=0.89), however individuals with suspected TB were significantly infected with other bacterial species than the unsuspected individuals (p=0.03). Almost all the isolates showed high susceptibility towards carbapenem (meropenem) and high resistance towards the third generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftriaxone). CONCLUSION: this study highlights the need to test individuals with classical symptoms of LRTIs for other bacterial infections other than TB only. Sputum culture is recommended for all suspected tuberculosis cases to provide accurate laboratory diagnosis to LRTIs and mitigate unnecessary use of antimicrobials.