This increase “was observed during the 2022/2023 season”, writes Santé Publique France in an epidemiological point.
In an epidemiological point published Thursday, Public Health France writes that after more than two years “of low incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic, an upsurge in invasive meningococcal infections was observed during the 2022/2023 season.”
On the graphs published by the national public health agency, we can indeed observe that the curve of infections for 2022/2023 rises above those of previous years, with in particular a peak of infections at the end of 2022.
The Ministry of Health recalls on its website that “meningococci are bacteria that can cause very serious illnesses such as meningitis or septicemia, which can be fatal or leave significant sequelae.”
The number of hospitalizations recorded at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 exceeded 40 cases, while the last highest peak dates from the 2017/2018 season, and was around 25 cases. Another peak was recorded at the end of February/beginning of March 2023, with more than 20 hospitalizations.
Diminished immunity?
Two hypotheses are put forward by Santé Publique France to explain this increase. On the one hand, the higher risk of infection could “result from reduced immunity in the population having been less exposed to meningococci between 2020 and 2022”, due to the measures of barrier gestures and social distancing put in place during the Covid-19.
On the other hand, the strong epidemics of viral infections in recent months may have led to “a risk of invasive bacterial infection”, by weakening the organisms.
The two symptoms that should alert are “a poorly tolerated high fever and / or one or more rapidly appearing red or purplish spots (purpura)”, specifies the Ministry of Health, writing that in “the slightest doubt, you must contact urgently on the 15th or his attending physician.”
The treatment is different depending on the type of meningitis developed, but it must be “started very quickly”, highlights health insurance.
“The Importance of Vaccination”
“The rebound observed in the 2022-2023 season is a reminder of the importance of vaccinating infants to protect them against infections linked to serogroups B and C“, also underlines Public Health France.
Several departments, where the cases identified were concentrated, have already in recent months called on their population to be vaccinated against meningitis to avoid epidemics, such as Alsace. Another campaign is currently underway in Lyon, where several cases have been detected.
Other diseases have experienced particularly strong increases this season. Half April, Public Health France wrote in an epidemiological point that “the number of consultations and emergency room visits for non-invasive GAS (scarlet fever) infections remains at levels higher than those observed before the COVID epidemic.”
