Bacterial meningitis outbreak in Nigeria
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reports since the beginning of the year through February 28, 628 (59 confirmed, 569 suspected) cases of bacterial meningitis.
The cases are reported from five of the country’s 36 states and the federal capital territory.
78 fatalities have been reported at a 12.42 percent case fatality rate.
In January, the NCDC issued a public health advisory over cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) saying—CSM is an epidemic-prone disease with cases reported all year round in Nigeria. However, weather conditions like the dry season that comes with dust, winds, cold nights, and frequent upper respiratory tract infections increase the risk of infection, especially with crowding and poor ventilation. The highest burden of CSM in Nigeria occurs in the “Meningitis Belt” which includes all 19 states in the Northern region, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and some southern states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun).
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, a thin layer of the connective tissue that covers the brain and the spinal cord. This inflammation can be caused by infection with any of the following organisms - bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Injuries and certain drugs can also cause such inflammation.
Transmission is usually through:
• Direct person-to-person contact, including droplets from the nose and throat of infected persons.
• Close and prolonged contact with an infected individual.
CSM initially presents as fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, photophobia (pain on looking at bright lights), neck stiffness, and altered conscious levels. It may be more difficult to observe these signs in younger children, but irritability, poor feeding, and inactivity are common.
Although meningitis affects all ages, the most at-risk persons are:
• Young children, especially those under or not immunised.
• Individuals living in overcrowded households.
• Individuals who smoke.
• Individuals exposed due to poor ventilation and indoor air pollution (e.g., from cooking with wood, or charcoal).
• Those with poor hygienic practices (poor cough etiquette and hand washing for example).
• Contacts of infected persons with poor infection prevention and control measures.
• Health care workers who provide direct patient care, clean, and disinfect contaminated materials or handle biological specimens without using personal protective equipment and/or adhering to infection prevention control protocols.
HEALTH ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC
• Ensure you and your loved ones have received the appropriate vaccination required to protect against meningitis.
• Avoid close and prolonged contact with a confirmed case of CSM including relatives.
• Avoid overcrowding in households.
• Avoid smoking.
• Practice proper respiratory hygiene when coughing or sneezing.
• Discourage indoor air pollution, such as indoor cooking over open flames.
• Practice good personal and hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap under running water or using hand sanitisers when necessary.
• Always keep your environment clean.
• Visit the nearest health facility immediately if you notice any of the signs and symptoms associated with CSM mentioned earlier or call the State Ministry of Health hotline or 6232 (NCDC toll-free line).
• Avoid self-medication to prevent antimicrobial resistance and ensure proper diagnosis and early treatment.
In 2022/2023, Nigeria recorded 2765 suspected and 303 confirmed cases with 190 deaths across 140 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 30 States including the Federal Capital Territory.