Case-based surveillance of bacterial meningitis following MenAfrivac™ introduction at Sourô Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 2011-2021

Abstract

• The large sample size strengthened the robustness of the study and emphasized the need for multivalent vaccines against non-A serogroups (W, X, C, Y) that continue to drive epidemics in Burkina Faso and the African meningitis belt • The introduction of RT-PCR has significantly enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of bacterial meningitis diagnosis compared with conventional methods such as Gram stain, latex agglutination, and culture. • the implementation of metagenomic analyses is proposed to resolve cases with undetermined serogroups. • Findings also support the relevance of use pneumococcal vaccines in country . To describe the distribution of Neisseria meningitidis serogroups in bacterial meningitis cases diagnosed by PCR at the Sourô Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, from 2011 to 2021. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective data from cerebrospinal fluid samples collected in Bobo-Dioulasso and surrounding districts and analyzed at the National Reference Laboratory for bacterial meningitis. Among 3,823 suspected cases, 3,341 samples underwent PCR, confirming 1,186 cases (35.5%). The highest number of samples was recorded in 2012 (32.9%), mainly from Dafra district (20.2%). Streptococcus pneumoniae was the leading pathogen (51.9%), followed by Neisseria meningitidis (46.1%) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (1.9%). Most N. meningitidis cases (69.5%) occurred in 2012, declining thereafter, with no cases by 2021. Serogroup W predominated (69.7%), while serogroups A and B were absent. The results emphasize the need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and adapt vaccination strategies to achieve meningitis elimination in Africa