Volume 24, Number 11—November 2018
Dispatch
Emergence of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W, Central African Republic, 2015–2016
Thierry Frank, Eva Hong, Jean-Robert Mbecko, Jean-Pierre Lombart, Muhamed-Kheir Taha1, and Pierre-Alain Rubbo1
Table
Details of suspected and confirmed meningitis cases caused by Neisseria meningitidis during the 2015 and 2016 outbreaks in Central African Republic*
| Data | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||
| Suspected cases, no. | 120 | 156 |
| CSF samples tested, no. (%) | 20 (17) | 60 (39) |
| Median age (IQR), mo | 60 (36–162) | 66 (21–186) |
| Sex ratio, M/F |
11/9 |
36/24 |
| Clinical data, no. (%) | ||
| Fever | ND† | 58 (97) |
| Weakness/asthenia | ND† | 51 (85) |
| Neck stiffness | ND† | 47 (78) |
| Deaths |
13 (11) |
12 (8) |
| Laboratory results, no. (% samples received) |
||
| Positive NmW culture |
11 (55) |
41 (68) |
| Positive NmW PCR | 20 (100) | 46 (77) |
*CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; IQR, interquartile range; ND, not determined; NmW, N. meningitidis serogroup W.
†Clinical information is missing for suspected cases during the 2015 epidemics.
1These authors contributed equally to this article.
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Page updated: October 16, 2018
Page reviewed: October 16, 2018
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