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An expanded age range for meningococcal meningitis: molecular diagnostic evidence from population-based surveillance

Soon Ae Kim1, Dong Wook Kim, Bai Qing Dong

  • 1Translational Research Division, International Vaccine Institute, SNU Research Park, San 4-8 Nakseongdae-Dong, Kwanak Gu, Seoul 151-919, South Korea. sakim@ivi.int

BMC Infectious Diseases
|November 21, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Meningococcal meningitis is a significant threat to young children in Asia, with higher-than-expected incidence rates observed in Vietnam, South Korea, and China. Enhanced molecular diagnostics are crucial for accurate disease burden assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Meningococcal disease poses a significant public health challenge in Asia.
  • Understanding the epidemiology of meningococcal disease in Asian children is critical for effective control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiologic patterns of meningococcal disease in children under 5 years of age in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
  • To identify the prevalence and serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) in pediatric cases.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective molecular analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from prospective surveillance.
  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the ctrA gene for Nm detection and serogrouping.
  • Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) for strain characterization and incidence rate estimation.

Main Results:

  • PCR confirmed Nm in 14% of CSF specimens, with the highest proportion from Vietnam (44.0%).
  • Neonates and infants under 6 months constituted over 50% of Nm-positive cases.
  • Incidence rates of meningococcal meningitis were highest in Vietnam (7.4/100,000), followed by South Korea (6.8/100,000) and China (2.1/100,000).
  • Serogroup B was identified in some cases, alongside serogroups C, X, and Y.

Conclusions:

  • A substantial, previously undetected burden of meningococcal meningitis exists in infants and young children in Asia.
  • There is a critical need for standardized, sensitive, and specific molecular diagnostic assays with serogrouping capabilities across Asia to accurately determine the true burden of N. meningitidis disease.

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