Climate conditions help forecast meningitis outbreaks
Determining the role of climate in the spread of certain diseases can assist health officials in "forecasting" epidemics. New research on meningitis incidence in sub-Saharan Africa pinpoints wind and dust conditions as predictors of the disease. The results may help in developing vaccination strategies that aim to prevent meningitis outbreaks, such as the 1996-1997 epidemic that killed 25,000 people. Many diseases become more prominent at certain times of the year. A common example is influenza, which peaks in colder months. Meningitis – an infection of the thin lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord – is also seasonal. In the Sahel (a semi-arid region stretching through Mali, Niger, Chad and Sudan), meningitis incidence is highest in the dry season from November to May.