Risk factors responsible for the spread of meningococal meningitis: a review

Abstract

Meningococcal meningitis is an air borne disease that has affected every region of the world for over a century now. The disease has a strong relationship with some certain factors which are categorised into socioeconomic factors, social behaviour, climate and environmental factor, demography, respiratory tract disease and geographical localization. In most countries of the world there are sporadic cases from time to time, which implies that the meningococcal bacteria is endemic there but at low level. There is an area that spans sub-Saharan Africa called the meningitis belt where large epidemics occur regularly. The paper describes the various factors that have influenced the spread of the disease in different regions of the world. Risk factors for meningococcal meningitis disease were reviewed. The paper has clearly identified the most important factors like the socioeconomic level, climate and environment, urbanization level, geographical localization, respiratory Tract/Viral Infections, social behaviour, demography and recreational spaces as the cause of the spread of meningococcal meningitis. Having the knowledge of how these factors influences the spread of the disease will go a long way in helping in the prevention strategies by the relevant authorities.