The Travel Doctor
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Meningitis in Uganda.
Friday, 16 January, 2009
Recent outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis are currently being reported from the Arua and Hoima districts of Uganda. Arua is to the north and Hoima to the east of Lake Albert. Meningococcal meningitis occurs sporadically or as epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, which is known as the "Meningitis Belt", an area that stretches from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east and that includes northern Uganda. Numerous cases of meningococcal meningitis are reported in this region of Africa each year during the dry season, between December and June, and every 6-12 years a large outbreak occurs. Travellers “on the beaten path” to tourist areas in East Africa in general are at low risk of acquiring meningococcal infection but if travel involves touring or working in remoter areas vaccination is advised
Previous outbreaks have proven in this area to be due to the A strain of the meningococcus organism which is not prevented by the Men C vaccine given to pre-school children and teenagers in Australia. There is currently a shortage of the polyvalent vaccine but this is expected to be resolved shortly.
