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A consensus statement: meningococcal disease among infants, children and adolescents in Latin America

Ricardo Walter Rüttimann1, Angela Gentile, Mercedes Macias Parra

  • 1From the *Fighting Infectious Diseases in Emerging Countries (FIDEC), University of Miami, Miami, FL; †Hospital de niños de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina; ‡Comité Nacional de Inmunizaciones, Ciudad de México, México; §Hospital del niño de Panamá. Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá; ¶Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa, Sao Paulo, Brasil; and ‖Hospital de niños Luis Calvo Mackenna. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|January 28, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Routine immunization against invasive meningococcal disease is lacking in Latin America. Experts recommend enhanced surveillance, diagnostic methods, and broader-coverage vaccines for infants and adolescents.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), caused by *Neisseria meningitidis*, is a significant global health concern.
  • Despite available vaccines, IMD prevention through routine immunization is limited in Latin America.
  • Consensus among infectious disease experts highlights critical gaps in IMD surveillance and control in the region.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address challenges and formulate recommendations for invasive meningococcal disease prevention in Latin America.
  • To guide public health strategies for controlling *Neisseria meningitidis* infections.
  • To improve IMD surveillance, diagnosis, and vaccination coverage in the region.

Main Methods:

  • A consensus conference convened six regional infectious disease experts.
  • Experts addressed key questions regarding IMD epidemiology, diagnosis, and prevention.
  • Recommendations were formulated based on current knowledge and regional needs.

Main Results:

  • Need for standardized surveillance systems, including mandatory carriage studies.
  • Requirement for better data on IMD incidence, case fatality rates, and prevalent serogroups.
  • Emphasis on utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for improved diagnosis and surveillance.
  • Desire for vaccines with broader serogroup coverage and enhanced immunogenicity in infants.
  • Recommendations for including infant, child, and adolescent immunization, including catch-up campaigns.
  • Exploration of combined meningococcal vaccines and coadministration strategies due to crowded infant schedules.

Conclusions:

  • Enhanced surveillance and diagnostic capabilities are crucial for effective IMD control.
  • Development of improved vaccines and strategic immunization programs are essential for reducing disease burden.
  • Addressing regional specificities in *Neisseria meningitidis* epidemiology is vital for public health interventions.

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