Meningococcus serogroup C clonal complex ST-10217 outbreak in Zamfara State, Northern Nigeria

• Main Authors: Brenda A. Kwambana-Adams, Rahab C. Amaza, Catherine Okoi, Murtala Rabiu, Archibald Worwui, Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko, Bernard Ebruke, Abdul K. Sesay, Madikay Senghore, Abdullahi S. Umar, Rabi Usman, Adamu Atiku, Garba Abdullahi, Yahaya Buhari, Rabiu Sani, Husaini U. Bako, Bashir Abdullahi, Alliyu I. Yarima, Badaru Sikiru, Aderinola Olaolu Moses, Michael O. Popoola, Eme Ekeng, Adebola Olayinka, Nwando Mba, Adamu Kankia, Ibrahim N. Mamadu, Ifeanyi Okudo, Mary Stephen, Olivier Ronveaux, Jason Busuttil, Jason M. Mwenda, Mohammed Abdulaziz, Sulaiman A. Gummi, Adebayo Adedeji, Andre Bita, Linda Omar, Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey, Wondimagegnehu Alemu, Umberto D’Alessandro, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Martin Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2018-09-01
• Series: Scientific Reports
• Subjects: Zamfara State; Meningococcal Serogroup; Suspected Meningitis Cases; Meningitis Outbreak; MenAfriVac
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32475-2

Abstract After the successful roll out of MenAfriVac, Nigeria has experienced sequential meningitis outbreaks attributed to meningococcus serogroup C (NmC). Zamfara State in North-western Nigeria recently was at the epicentre of the largest NmC outbreak in the 21st Century with 7,140 suspected meningitis cases and 553 deaths reported between December 2016 and May 2017. The overall attack rate was 155 per 100,000 population and children 5–14 years accounted for 47% (3,369/7,140) of suspected cases. The case fatality rate (CFR) among children 5–9 years was 10%, double that reported among adults ≥ 30 years (5%). NmC and pneumococcus accounted for 94% (172/184) and 5% (9/184) of the laboratory-confirmed cases, respectively. The sequenced NmC belonged to the ST-10217 clonal complex (CC). All serotyped pneumococci were PCV10 serotypes. The emergence of NmC ST-10217 CC outbreaks threatens the public health gains made by MenAfriVac, which calls for an urgent strategic action against meningitis outbreaks.