2024-04-22 06:00:32
Since 2022, Public Health France observes an increase in cases of meningococcal meningitis, with major changes in epidemiology following the Covid-19 pandemic. These observations led at the beginning of April 2024 to High Authority of Health (HAS) to update its vaccination recommendations to better protect children and young people once morest these serious infections. Explanations.
Meningococcal meningitis on the rise since 2022
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the epidemiology of many infections, including bacterial meningococcal meningitis. These infections are particularly serious and can cause death if they are not treated in time. Every year, Public Health France publishes a report on the epidemiological surveillance of these infections over the previous year. The results for 2023 were published at the beginning of April 2024 and reveal an increase in cases, with for the first time a sharp increase in infections caused by serogroups W and Y.
To know ! There are several serogroups of meningococci responsible for meningitis, serogroups A, B, C, W and Y. Different vaccines exist to protect once morest these different bacteria.
After peaks in infections in December 2022 and January 2023, the number of cases of meningococcal meningitis remained high throughout the first half of 2023before returning to a usual level in the second part of 2023. Depending on the serogroup involved, different age groups were at risk:
Infants and young children for serogroup B; Infants and adults for serogroup W; Young adults and the elderly for serogroup Y.
On the other hand, infections linked to serogroup C have become rare, whatever the age group.
Read also – Recognize the symptoms of viral and bacterial meningitis
Updated vaccination recommendations
Faced with such epidemiological developments, the HAS has decided to modify its vaccination recommendations to better protect infants, children and young people once morest these potentially fatal infections. Currently, vaccination of all infants under one year of age is compulsory once morest serogroup C. From now on, the HAS recommends compulsory vaccination of all infants under one year of age once morest serogroups A, C, W and Ywith a 2-dose vaccination schedule (1st dose at 6 months, booster dose at 12 months).
To protect adolescents, the HAS recommends vaccinating adolescents once morest serogroups A, C, W and Y between 11 and 14 years of age, with a single dose of vaccine, regardless of the adolescent’s vaccination status. This vaccination might be carried out until the age of 24, as a catch-up.
Finally, HAS proposes to make vaccination of infants under one year old once morest serogroup B compulsory, a vaccination recommended since 2021. The schedule includes three doses, at 3, 5 and 12 months. These new recommendations might be taken into account in the new vaccination schedule to be published in April 2024.
Read also – Bacterial meningococcal meningitis: a strong comeback during the winter of 2022-2023
How to recognize the signs of meningitis?
Meningitis are inflammations of infectious origin of the meninges, the membranes that protect the central nervous system. Meningitis can be viral or bacterial and are serious infections, which require emergency treatment. The symptoms of meningitis are:
A meningeal syndrome combining vomiting, fever, neck stiffness, headaches and photophobia; A gray or mottled complexion; Muscle pain reminiscent of aches; Great fatigue; Neurological signs (drowsiness, ocular paralysis, convulsions).
These signs should lead you to consult your doctor or emergency services without delay if a doctor is unavailable. Extreme urgency is necessary when faced with signs of generalized infection during meningococcal meningitis, particularly when the appearance of purpura fulminans, which is a very rapidly progressing septicemia, with the appearance of hemorrhagic lesions on the skin. In this case, you must immediately call the emergency services (15 or 112).
Read also – Pediatric vaccines: how do they protect once morest the risk of meningitis?
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
Sources
– Invasive meningococcal infections: increase in cases in France in 2023.www.santepubliquefrance.fr. Accessed April 15, 2024.
– Invasive meningococcal infections: updated vaccination recommendations. www.has-sante.fr. Accessed April 15, 2024.
– Meningitis: symptoms, diagnosis and progress. www.ameli.fr. Accessed April 16, 2024.
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