COVID-19 and lessons learned from the pandemic wave of meningococcal meningitis (1985-1990)

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The 1985-1990 meningococcal (MC) meningitis pandemic caused over 70,000 cases in Africa and Asia.
• The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a novel coronavirus, emerged in late 2019 and was declared a global pandemic in March 2020.
• Historical pandemics offer valuable lessons for managing contemporary public health crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the history and management of the meningococcal meningitis pandemic in Sudan.
• To evaluate the utility of a rapid antigen test for diagnosing bacterial meningitis in epidemic conditions.
• To highlight lessons learned from the meningococcal meningitis pandemic applicable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative research project between the University of Khartoum and Uppsala University.
• Evaluation of a rapid antigen test for acute bacterial meningitis diagnosis.
• Application of molecular epidemiology techniques for disease control.

Main Results:

• The rapid antigen test proved adaptable for field use during the 1988 MC epidemic.
• Pioneering work in molecular epidemiology contributed to controlling epidemic meningitis globally.
• Development of a new conjugate vaccine effectively ended Group A meningococcal epidemics.

Conclusions:

• The Sudan/Sweden scientific link program successfully managed the meningococcal meningitis pandemic in Sudan.
• Diagnostic and epidemiological strategies employed during the meningococcal meningitis pandemic are relevant for controlling current infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19.
• Historical pandemic data and research are crucial for informing future public health responses.