@article{fdi:010042275,
  title = {{C}limate drives the meningitis epidemics onset in {W}est {A}frica},
  author = {{S}ultan, {B}enjamin and {L}abadi, {K}. and {G}u{\'e}gan, {J}ean-{F}ran{\c{c}}ois and {J}anicot, {S}erge},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {E}very year {W}est {A}frican countries within the {S}ahelo-{S}udanian band are afflicted with major meningococcal meningitis ({MCM}) disease outbreaks, which affect up to 200,000 people, mainly young children, in one of the world's poorest regions. {T}he timing of the epidemic year, which starts in {F}ebruary and ends in late {M}ay, and the spatial distribution of disease cases throughout the "{M}eningitis {B}elt" strongly indicate a close linkage between the life cycle of the causative agent of {MCM} and climate variability. {H}owever, mechanisms responsible for the observed patterns are still not clearly identified. {M}ethods and {F}indings {B}y comparing the information on cases and deaths of {MCM} from {W}orld {H}ealth {O}rganization weekly reports with atmospheric datasets, we quantified the relationship between the seasonal occurrence of {MCM} in {M}ali, a {W}est {A}frican country, and large-scale atmospheric circulation. {R}egional atmospheric indexes based on surface wind speed show a clear link between population dynamics of the disease and climate: the onset of epidemics and the winter maximum defined by the atmospheric index share the same mean week (sixth week of the year; standard deviation, 2 wk) and are highly correlated. {C}onclusions {T}his study is the first that provides a clear, quantitative demonstration of the connections that exist between {MCM} epidemics and regional climate variability in {A}frica. {M}oreover, this statistically robust explanation of the {MCM} dynamics enables the development of an {E}arly {W}arning {I}ndex for meningitis epidemic onset in {W}est {A}frica. {T}he development of such an index will undoubtedly help nationwide and international public health institutions and policy makers to better control {MCM} disease within the so-called westward-eastward pan-{A}frican {M}eningitis {B}elt.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {M}edicine},
  volume = {2},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {43--49},
  ISSN = {1549-1277},
  year = {2005},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pmed.0020006},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010042275},
}