@article{fdi:010046084,
  title = {{M}eningococcal meningitis in {M}ali : a long-term study of persistence and spread},
  author = {{P}hilippon, {S}. and {B}routin, {H}{\'e}l{\`e}ne and {C}onstantin de {M}agny, {G}uillaume and {T}oure, {K}. and {D}iakite, {C}. {H}. and {F}ourquet, {N}. and {C}ourel, {M}. {F}. and {S}ultan, {B}enjamin and {G}u{\'e}gan, {J}ean-{F}ran{\c{c}}ois},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{O}bjectives: {M}eningococcal meningitis ({MM}) is still a huge threat in the {A}frican meningitis belt. {T}o fight against epidemics, a strengthened health information system, based upon weekly collected data, was set up in {M}ali. {W}e aimed to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of {MM} in this country between 1992 and 2003. {M}ethods: {W}e were first interested in the impact of population size on the disease persistence. {W}e then used cross-correlation analysis to study the spread of the disease on three different spatial scales, i.e., inter-region (global) and inter-district and intra-district (local) levels. {R}esults: {W}e found no persistence of {MM} at district level in {M}ali during the whole of the study period. {H}owever, we found persistence on a nationwide scale after the 1997 big epidemics, as opposed to the 1992-1996 time periods. {I}n terms of spread, two main regions seem to lead {MM} dynamics in {M}ali, even if on a local scale the 'cities-villages' diffusion pattern was not systematically observed. {C}onclusions: {T}his study improves knowledge on the spread and persistence of {MM} in {M}ali in recent years. {I}t constitutes a first spatial study describing persistence and spread of {MM} in an {A}frican meningitis belt country. {T}he next step should be the integration of vaccination and genetic variability data to clarify the route of spread of the disease in the human population.},
  keywords = {{M}eningococcal meningitis ; {M}ali ; {E}pidemiology ; {P}ersistence ; {S}pread ; {MALI}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{I}nternational {J}ournal of {I}nfectious {D}iseases},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {103--109},
  ISSN = {1201-9712},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.ijid.2008.05.1223},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010046084},
}