The risk of an increase in cases of meningitis this winter

Meningococcal infections have a seasonal increase in winter and spring. According to experts from the Pasteur Institute, the Covid epidemic has caused an increase in cases over the past year.

Experts from the Pasteur Institute are warning of the risk of an increase in cases of meningitis this winter. Details from Géraldine Zamansky, journalist at Health Magazine on France 5.

franceinfo: Could this be a consequence of the Covid epidemic?

Geraldine Zamansky: Absolutely, these experts have noted an unprecedented increase in cases of meningitis since September 2022. They see this as a consequence of confinement which has not only slowed the transmission of Covid, but also other respiratory infections.

Our immune defenses, less confronted with these enemies, have weakened. This is what Dr Ala-Eddine Deghmane, deputy head of the National Reference Center for
meningococci at the Pasteur Institute. Meningococci is the name of the bacteria that cause meningitis.

This disease, fatal without treatment, can leave serious after-effects on survivors. However, Pasteur’s team has already observed, in recent months, an unprecedented increase in cases of 36% compared to 2019. It therefore warns of a risk of amplification with the flu epidemic this winter. Because this virus increases the risk of subsequently contracting meningitis.

In addition, this team noted an evolution in the profile of the bacteria in question?

Quite. In this family of bacteria, there are actually several “cousins”, called serogroups. Before 2020, the main culprits were serogroups B and C. As a result, in France, vaccination is compulsory against C, and recommended against B, in infants.

But now, as Dr Deghmane explained to me, group C has almost been replaced by two other cousins, W and Y. So Pasteur’s expert hopes that the recommendations will very quickly include vaccines against these new enemies. Especially to protect adolescents and young adults. Because 16-24 year olds are among the most affected.

Why is this age group of 16-24 years more at risk?

Because his lifestyle, in class, in a sports club, in the evening, creates a proximity favorable to the diffusion of these bacteria carried by the “spittle”. The most common symptom is neck stiffness, but there is also fever, vomiting or purplish spots on the skin.

The progression can be very rapid as for Loan, struck down by meningitis at the age of 17, on January 5, 2023. His father had never heard of the meningococcal B vaccine, which was fatal for Loan. Today, he tries to inform as many families as possible. But this vaccine is expensive and has only been reimbursed for infants since 2022.

Same obstacle for injection, which protects against groups W and Y. Hence the urgency of new recommendations, and coverage by Health Insurance.

The study