Meningococcal Disease in Children: Eleven Years of Active Surveillance in a Mexican Hospital and the Need for Vaccination in the Tijuana Region

Enrique Chacon-Cruz, Jorge Art

Abstract

In Mexico, Meningococcal Disease (MD) is considered to be a rare disease; however, several studies done using active surveillance have proved the opposite. Since October-2005 until September-2016 (eleven years), active surveillance looking for all patients admitted with suspected MD<16 years of age was performed at the Tijuana, Mexico, General Hospital. There were 51 MD cases, with 21 (41.18%) < 2 years old. At admission, 47 (92.15%) had meningitis, 24 (47%) purpura, 4 (7.84%) conjunctivitis and 2 (3.92%) pleural effusion. Serogroup distribution was as follows: C-32 (62.74%), Y-12 (23.53%), B-5 (9.8%) and Ignored-2 (3.92%). Overall mortality was of 13 (25.49%). Among survivors (n=38), 13 (34.2%) developed sequelae. Yearly average MD attack rates were of 7.61 and 2.69 per 100, 000 populations in children<2 and <16 years of age, respectively. MD is endemic in Tijuana, Mexico. Meningococcal vaccination should be seriously considered in the region.