Published Date: 2009-01-20 15:00:42
Subject: PRO/EDR> Meningitis, meningococcal - Uganda (02): (MSI)
Archive Number: 20090120.0249
MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL - UGANDA (02): (MASINDI)
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Date: Mon 19 Jan 2009
Source: The New Vision (Uganda) [edited]
<http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/668614>
The health ministry has reported an outbreak of meningitis in Masindi
district, a week after the deadly disease was reported in Hoima and
Arua districts. The director of clinical services in the ministry, Dr
Kenya Mugisha told The New Vision yesterday [19 Jan 2009] that 15
cases of meningitis had been reported in Masindi, with 4 deaths. He
said the outbreak had affected Pakanyi sub-county. "There are fears
that it may be spreading to Kigumba," said Mugisha. He said rapid
tests had been carried out on patients, which confirmed meningitis.
The outbreak in Masindi follows reported outbreaks in Dadama and
Oluko sub-counties in Arua and Kigorobya sub-county in Hoima. Mugisha
said the ministry was preparing to carry out a mass vaccination
exercise in the affected districts.
The ministry identified the outbreak to be the meningococcal
meningitis, which is caused by bacteria transmitted from
person-to-person through contact with throat secretions.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, which is the lining
surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The disease is also spread by
being in close contact with a patient. Living in congested and poorly
ventilated premises with an infected person increases the risk of the
spread of the disease. The most common symptoms of bacterial
meningitis are fever, headache, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light,
mental confusion, and vomiting.
Dr John Turyagaruka, the Masindi district health officer, said the
district lies in the meningitis belt that covers the areas of
southern Sudan and northern Uganda and outbreaks are normally
anticipated during this time of the year. He also said the district
was using stocks of drugs that were earlier dispatched to the
district following a meningitis scare in November [2008]. The
district health department is carrying out public sensitisation on
the outbreak.
[Byline: Raymond Baguma]
--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The Ugandan meningococcal meningitis outbreak continues to spread,
now involving the Masindi district, which lies between the Arua
district to the north and the Hoima district to the south, where the
disease was previously reported. The meningococcal serogroups causing
this outbreak have not as yet been specified.
A map of Uganda showing the affected districts can be found at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/uganda.pdf> and a
map of the African bacterial meningitis belt can be found at
<http://www.medic8.com/images/map4-9.gif>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=443351&v=1.417,33.083,6>. - Mod.ML]
See Also
Meningitis, meningococcal - Uganda: (ARU, HOI) 20090115.01702008
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Meningitis, meningococcal - Burkina Faso (02): vaccinated areas 20080412.1334
Meningitis, meningococcal - Burkina Faso 20080314.1017
Meningitis, meningococcal - Africa: meningitis belt 20080225.0756
Meningitis, meningococcal - Central African Republic: RFI 20080212.0567
Meningitis, meninges - Africa: W. Africa, Congo DR 20080125.0309
2007
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Meningitis, meningococcal - Italy (Veneto) 20071222.4120
Meningitis, meningococcal - Uganda (Arua) 20071207.3954
Meningitis - Namibia (North): RFI 20070906.2942
2000
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Meningitis - Namibia (North) 20001214.2182
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