In sub-Saharan Africa, the control of meningococcal meningitis epidemics relies on early epidemic detection and mass vaccination. However, experience shows that interventions are often initiated too late to have a significant impact on the epidemic.
BACKGROUND: Epidemics of meningococcal disease in Africa are commonly detected too late to prevent many cases. We assessed weekly meningitis incidence as a tool to detect epidemics in time to implement mass vaccination.
In the initial phase of a complex emergency, an immediate population size assessment method, based on area sampling, is vital to provide relief workers with a rapid population estimate in refugee camps.
Culture adapted T. b. gambiense isolated from Northwest Uganda were exposed to 0.001-0.14 microg/ml melarsoprol or 1.56-100 microg/ml DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO).
BACKGROUND: Early outbreak detection is necessary for control of meningococcal meningitis epidemics.
