Optimizing Laboratory Diagnostic Services for Infectious Meningitis in the Meningitis Belt of sub-Saharan Africa.

ACS Infect Dis

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Sciences, College of Medical and Health Sciences , University of Jos, Jos , Plateau State , Nigeria 930222.

Published: December 2019

For longer than a century, the "meningitis belt" of sub-Saharan Africa has experienced the largest-ever global meningitis epidemic. Whereas HIV-associated immunosuppression drives higher susceptibility to environmental infectious organisms with tropism for the central nervous system (CNS), most diagnostic laboratories in the belt stick to , , and . has been the leading cause of death (incidence, 89%; death, 75%). To establish whether diagnostic services target geographically important pathogens, there is a need to know the current spectrum of etiology. Given Africa's agro-silvo-pastoralism, the One Health diagnostic approach is recommended. Considering  multipathogen detection capacity, needed speed for corticosteroid therapy decision, and susceptibility/resistance to antimicrobials with improved CNS penetration, proposed laboratory categorization will help neurologists to choose suitable services.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00340DOI Listing

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