The epidemiology of pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Haemophilus disease in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region-Current status and needs

Abstract

Information about the burden and epidemiological characteristics of meningitis and other invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis is of great value to healthcare decision makers to prioritize public health interventions. A group of regional experts in the Eastern Mediterranean and North African regions formed the MENA Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Regional Advisory Group to collate and discuss such information on an annual basis. This paper provides an up-to-date summary of the available epidemiological data regarding these pathogens in these regions. In doing so, it highlights the need for additional surveillance studies to better measure the burden of these diseases, as well as the potential impact of introduction of new vaccines against these pathogens.