More than 500 cases of invasive infections have been reported, an increase of 72% compared to 2022.
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In 2023, the incidence of invasive meningococcal infections saw a sharp increase in France, with a number of cases reported without precedent for 10 years, according to a Public Health France bulletin published Wednesday April 10. Meningococci are a family of bacteria that cause very dangerous and contagious meningitis, mainly in children and adolescents.
A total of 560 cases of invasive meningococcal infections were reported in 2023, an increase of 72% compared to 2022. This post-Covid 19 upsurge could be explained by the decline in immunity in the less exposed population. to meningococci during the pandemic, but also by the return of respiratory viruses (in particular influenza) which can promote invasive bacterial infections, underlines Public Health France.
A vaccination strategy that will be reviewed
The incidence rate of reported cases was highest among children under one year of age (56 cases, or 8.2 cases per 100,000 population) and was also high among young adults aged 15 to 24 (101 cases, or 1.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
The main meningococci are separated into large families: A, B, C, W and Y. For a long time, B and C remained in the majority. This is still the case for B, but C has become marginal, clearly behind Y and W, the latter family being particularly murderous.
These data contributed to the work of the High Authority for Health on the revision of the vaccination strategy against meningococci, indicates Public Health France. Currently, only meningococcal B and C vaccinations are affected. Vaccination against meningococci C is compulsory for children under one year of age, while vaccination against B is only recommended.
Following the recommendations of the HAS, the government should soon announce that vaccination will become much broader. In infants, first, where vaccination against all strains (A, B, C, W and Y) will be compulsory. In adolescents, a booster dose against A, C, W and Y will be recommended between 11 and 14 years of age, even if they have already received this vaccine at a young age.