Meningitis Spotlight Session 2024

Vinny Smith, Meningitis Research Foundation and Confederation of Meningitis Organisations

Chair: Dr Nicoline Schiess, World Health Organization

An individual with lived experience sharing their story of the devastating consequences of meningitis, coupled with findings from the National Child Mortality Database report serve as a timely reminder that the time for action is now. 

• 13.40-13.50: Patient experience of meningitis – Deidre Fredericks, CoMO

• 13.50-14.10: Meningitis remains a leading cause of infectious death in children and young people in England – Prof Adam Finn, University of Bristol

Chair: Prof Caroline Trotter, University of Cambridge

The prevention and epidemic control of meningitis is a key strategic pillar of the WHO Global Roadmap to defeat meningitis. Vaccines have successfully reduced the global burden of bacterial meningitis, caused by Hib, pneumococcal and meningococcal bacteria. The UK MenB infant vaccination programme is just one example of a vaccine success story. However, recommended vaccination programmes against some causes of bacterial meningitis have not yet been introduced in many parts of the world, and other important causes of meningitis are not yet vaccine preventable. This session will explore opportunities for global prevention of bacterial meningitis including vaccines currently in development, and future GAVI investment

• 14.15-14.30: The success of the UK infant MenB vaccination programme – Dr Helen Campbell, UK-HSA

• 14.30-14.45: Is the PCV13 1+1 schedule working in the UK?
  – Dr Shamez Ladhani, UK-HSA

• 14.45-15.00: Development of a HiA Vaccine: Phase 1 trial results – Dr Brian Ward, McGill University, Canada

• 15.00-15.20: Investing towards a world free of meningitis: What does the GAVI 6.0 strategy mean for meningitis prevention? – Beth Evans, Gavi Vaccine Alliance 

• 15.20-15.40: Q&A and discussion 

Chair and moderator: Dr Charlene Rodrigues, LSHTM and UKHSA

Panellists from around the world will take part in a discussion about the role of whole genome sequencing in identifying and informing response to an outbreak of MenW associated with Umrah travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2024. Panellists will explore how genomic approaches were instrumental in uncovering and tracking MenW cases and the implications for public health practice, including antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination policy

• 15.55-16.10: The role of genomics in decoding a MenW outbreak associated with travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Dr Jay Lucidarme, UK-HSA

• 16.10-16.15: The importance of travel history in informing outbreak management: the European experience – Prof Muhamed Kheir Taha, Institut Pasteur Paris

• 16.15-16.20: Responding to the threat of ciprofloxacin resistant meningococcal strains – Dr Lucy McNamara, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• 16.20-16.25: Uncovering secondary MenW cases: the experience of community spread in Canada – Dr Raymond Tsang, Public Health Agency of Canada

• 16.25-16.35: Vaccination recommendations for pilgrims travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Prof Ziad Memish, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia

• 16.35-16.55: Group discussion and Q&A 

17.00: CLOSE