An overview of meningococcal disease in India: knowledge gaps and potential solutions

The Global Meningococcal Initiative (GMI) consists of an international group of scientists and clinicians, with expertise in meningococcal immunology, epidemiology, public health and vaccinology that aims to prevent meningococcal disease worldwide through education, research, cooperation and vaccination. In India, there is no national policy on routine meningococcal vaccination to control the disease. The GMI convened a meeting in India, with local medical leaders and public policy personnel, to gain insight into meningococcal disease burden and current surveillance and vaccination practices in the country. Neisseria meningitidis is the third most common cause of sporadic bacterial meningitis in children <5 years, with higher incidence in temperate northern versus tropical southern India. Incidence is not reliably known due to suboptimal surveillance and insufficient microbiological support for diagnosis. Since 2005, there have been a number of outbreaks, all attributable to serogroup A. Outbreak responses were ad hoc and included mandatory case reporting by hospitals in Delhi, temporary strengthening of laboratory diagnostics, chemoprophylaxis of close contacts/high-risk groups and limited reactive use of polysaccharide vaccine. Although a conjugate serogroup A vaccine (MenAfriVac™) is manufactured in India, it is not presently used in India. Epidemiological data on meningococcal disease in India are sparse. Meningococcal disease control efforts should focus on establishing systematic surveillance and educating physicians and officers of the Immunization Division of the Ministry of Health on the importance of N. meningitidis as a cause of morbidity and mortality. Conjugate vaccine should be used for outbreak control and the immunization of high-risk persons.