BACKGROUND: @entity693 still accounts for many deaths in @entity1 especially during epidemics in countries within the African @entity693 belt. Between February and May 2012, the Gambia witnessed an outbreak of @entity693 in two of its six regions. This study presents a clinical perspective of this outbreak in central river region of the Gambia. It evaluated the outbreak pattern, clinical features, and mortality among suspected cases that presented to the hospital during the outbreak. METHODOLOGY: This is a prospective observational study of suspected cases of @entity693 that presented to the pediatric ward of the Bansang Hospital during the outbreak period. Confirmed cases of @entity693 were consecutively enrolled, and those with negative blood cultures presenting during the same period were employed as controls. RESULT: Two hundred and four suspected cases of @entity693 presented to the pediatric ward during the outbreak. Ninety were confirmed as @entity693 cases. The W135 strain of @entity3631 was responsible for 89 (98.9%) of @entity693 cases seen with an incidence rate of 74.9/100,000 in @entity1 (0-14 years) and in-hospital case fatality rate of 7.9%. Highest attack rate was among the 12-49 months age group. Clinical features such as meningeal signs (neck stiffness), @entity2024 , and @entity4 were seen more in cases than controls. Contact history with relatives, who had fever in previous 2 weeks prior to illness was significantly seen more in cases. Adjusted regression analysis showed 7.5 more likelihood of infection with positive contact history (odds ratio [OR]: 7.2 confidence interval [CI]: [3.39-15.73]). There was no significant difference in death outcome between cases and controls (OR: 0.78 CI: [0.29-2.13]). The double peak wave-like pattern of the epidemic curve noted during this outbreak suggests a disseminated outbreak originating from an index case with propagated spread. CONCLUSION: There is need for more effective surveillance and incorporation of vaccine against @entity693 into the expanded program on immunization schedule of the Gambia and other countries within the @entity3082 belt.

Outbreak of serotype W135 XXXX in central river region of the Gambia between February and June 2012: A hospital-based review of Paediatric cases.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children'] @entity3082 :: ('MESH:D004671', 'Disease') :: ['meningitic epidemic'] @entity4 :: ('MESH:D004487', 'Disease') :: ['joint swelling'] @entity693 :: ('MESH:D008581', 'Disease') :: ['Meningitis', 'meningitis'] @entity2024 :: ('MESH:D003231', 'Disease') :: ['conjunctivitis'] @entity3631 :: ('487', 'Species') :: ['Neisseria meningitidis']
@entity3631 :: (487,Species) :: ['Neisseria meningitidis']
