Conference abstract
Evaluation of bacterial meningitis surveillance data of the Northern Region, Ghana, 2010-2015
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2017:3(111).01
Nov 2017.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2017.3.111.268
Archived on: 01 Nov 2017
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Bacterial meningitis, Northern region of Ghana, surveillance data
Oral presentation
Evaluation of bacterial meningitis surveillance data of the Northern Region, Ghana, 2010-2015
Basil Benduri Kaburi1,&, Chrysantus Kubio1, Ernest Kenu1, Donne Kofi Ameme1, Jacob Yakubu Mahama2, Samuel Oko Sackey1, Edwin Andrew Afari1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Accra, Ghana, 2Ghana Health Service, Ghana
&Corresponding author
Basil Benduri Kaburi, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Accra, Ghana
Introduction: bacterial meningitis is a disease of major public health importance especially for countries such as Ghana whose northern part lie within the meningitis belt. The Northern region of Ghana has been recording cases with outbreaks over the years. In order to generate evidence to improve surveillance, we described the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis using surveillance data of the region.
Methods: bacterial meningitis datasets from January 2010 to December 2015 for all the 26 districts of the Northern region were retrieved from line lists. Data were analyzed in terms of person, place, time, and identity of causative organisms using descriptive statistics. The results were presented as proportions, rates, tables and graphs.
Results: a total of 1,176 cases were reported. Of these, 53.5% (629/1,176) were males. The proportion of cases aged 0 to 29 years was 77.4%; Overall Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 9.7% (114/1,176). About 65% of all cases were recorded from January to April. Only 23.7% (279/1,176) of cases were laboratory-confirmed. Neisseria meningitides and Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 91.4% of confirmed cases. Over the period, the incidence reduced from 9.0/100,000 population to 3.8/100,000 population and CFR reduced from 16.6% to 5.7%.
Conclusion: most cases were recorded in the dry season, and in persons younger than 30 years. Less than a quarter of cases were laboratory confirmed, and no new bacteria species were identified. Both morbidity and mortality rates were on the decline. There is the need to consolidate these gains by intensifying meningitis surveillance and improving on the rate of laboratory case confirmation.
