Burkina Faso has set up 4 reference centres for meningitis diagnosis. Because of this complex arrangement, only the western area of the country, centred on Bobo Dioulasso, is involved in the surveillance activities that are carried out within the framework of the FSP Meningitis programme. The Centre Muraz and the AMP organise a PCR surveillance network in order to ensure that PCR is always used in national meningitis monitoring. The Centre Muraz is responsible for organising the network and for coordinating the activities that it carries out. The AMP provides technical support for various aspects of this programme, and this support is arranged in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
Investigations into epidemics were carried out in 2008 with the support of the AMP Mobile Laboratory and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the national reference laboratories for meningitis. Seven investigations were carried out in total, one each in the districts of Titao, Mangodara, Orodara, Houndé, Dandé, Boromo and Diébougou, where there were no bacteriology laboratories near the sources of the epidemic. The CSF samples were analysed by direct examination as well as by culture and latex testing (where such tests were possible), before being tested by PCR at the AMP/Centre Muraz laboratory in the days following collection of the sample. This research also provided an opportunity to carry out formative supervision in the district and regional laboratories.
