Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (42)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by COCHI, S. L
Right arrow Articles by REINGOLD, A. A. L
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by COCHI, S. L
Right arrow Articles by REINGOLD, A. A. L
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1987 Oxford University Press

research-article

Control of Epidemic Group A Meningococcal Meningitis in Nepal

STEPHEN L COCHI, LAURI E MARKOWITZ, D JOSHI, RICHARD C OWENS, JR, DON H STENHOUSE, WARAKA N REGMI, RANENDRA P B SHRESTHA, I L ACHARYA, MUKUNDA MANANDHAR, VIJAY L GURUBACHARYA, DOUGLAS OWENS and AND ARTHUR L REINGOLD

Meningitis and Special Pathogens Branch. Division of Bacterial Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA
Ministry of Health Nepal
Integrated Rural Health/Family Planning Services Project Nepal
Division of Immunization, Center for Prevention Services, Centers for Disease Control

During the first six months of 1983, an epidemic of serogroup A meningococcal meningitis occurred in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, resulting in 875 cases and 95 deaths. The annual attack rate was 103 cases per 100000 population, with a peak attack rate occurring in April. Epidemic meningococcal disease had not been recognized previously in Nepal. Early in 1984, a review of hospital-based data on pyogenic meningitis in Kathmandu showed three times as many cases per month compared with the same period the previous year, suggesting that a recurrent epidemic was unfolding. Beginning in February 1984, a vaccination campaign directed at a high-risk target population of people aged 1–24 years was launched; over 329000 doses of bivalent A/C meningococcal vaccine were given, achieving approximately 64% coverage of the target population. A dramatic decline in the number of new meningitis cases occurred coincident with the initiation of the mass vaccination campaign. This experience demonstrates that it is possible, with appropriate surveillance efforts, to detect an evolving epidemic of meningococcal disease early in its course and to institute control measures in advance of the expected epidemic peak.

Received 1 January 1986


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
Committee on Infectious Diseases
Prevention and Control of Meningococcal Disease: Recommendations for Use of Meningococcal Vaccines in Pediatric Patients
Pediatrics, August 1, 2005; 116(2): 496 - 505.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Infect. Immun.Home page
D. S. Berry, F. Lynn, C.-H. Lee, C. E. Frasch, and M. C. Bash
Effect of O Acetylation of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup A Capsular Polysaccharide on Development of Functional Immune Responses
Infect. Immun., July 1, 2002; 70(7): 3707 - 3713.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.