SPREAD OF NEISSERIA-MENINGITIDIS GROUP-A CLONE III-I MENINGITIS EPIDEMIC INTO ZAMBIA

The epidemic of Neisseria meningitidis group A clone III-I strain bega n with the 1987 outbreak in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Intense epidemics in African countries occurred the following year, Clone III-I was first i solated from Africa in 1988 in Chad, followed by epidemics in Ethiopia (1989), Kenya and Tanzania (1989), and The Central African Republic ( 1992), We report an epidemic of Neisseria meningitidis group A clone I II-I afflicting Zambia during a 2-year period (April 1992-May 1994). T his extension of the 'meningitis belt' southwards into Central Africa is cause for concern. Active surveillance for this disease should be c arried out by all African countries, even those outside the well descr ibed sub-Saharan 'meningitis belt'.