Meningococcal Meningitis in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Model for the Epidemic Process

摘要: Epidemic group A meningococcal meningitis follows a unique and distinctive pattern in sub-Saharan Africa. Advances molecular field epidemiology have begun to elucidate the mechanisms of epidemics. Epidemics result from complex combination host, organism, environmental risk factors. Recent studies suggest that "antigenic shifts" clones may trigger an outbreak disease by suddenly decreasing herd immunity within population. Although introduction new strains into susceptible population contributes likelihood epidemic, presence additional factors, such as low humidity coincident respiratory tract infections, are also necessary for epidemic occur. Despite behavior Africa, application similar methods epidemiological analysis be useful determining processes other diseases.