New research aims to revolutionise meningitis control through advancing access to whole genome sequencing

Meningitis remains a significant global health challenge, claiming the lives of 1 in 10 people annually, with children under five at greatest risk. Despite its devastating toll, the understanding and control of meningitis is hindered by limited access to genome sequencing technology, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where the case numbers are highest.

In response to this critical gap, a groundbreaking three-year collaborative research project (Unlocking genomic capabilities to defeat meningitis), funded by a £1 million grant from Wellcome, will significantly strengthen meningitis surveillance. It aims to harness the power of whole genome sequencing to improve meningitis control efforts across the world.

Bringing together countries and organisations

Coordinated by Meningitis Research Foundation and Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS), Unlocking genomic capabilities to defeat meningitis will bring together work across multiple countries and organisations, with global scientific experts at Institut Pasteur, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, University College London, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Référence Nationale, Chad and the University of Cambridge collaborating on it. 

"At the heart of our project is the application and validation of the ‘Meningitis Value Chain Framework’," explained Vinny Smith, Chief Executive at Meningitis Research Foundation. "This framework will systematically map out and assess the entire journey of genome sequencing, from when a person is first affected to ensuring that valuable genome data gathered from meningitis-causing bacteria is readily accessible. Doing this can, and should, inform evidence-based public health action."

A comprehensive approach to unlocking genomic capabilities

‘Unlocking genomic capabilities to defeat meningitis’ comprehensive approach includes:

- Research Stream 1: Led by Dr. Kanny Diallo and Dr. Gilbert Fokou from CSRS, this stream will assess the barriers and opportunities for use of whole genome sequencing for bacterial meningitis in low- and middle-income countries. The insights gained will feed directly into validating the Meningitis Value Chain Framework.

- Research Stream 2: Under Dr. Kanny Diallo, CSRS and Professor Caroline Trotter, University of Cambridge, this stream will enable greater knowledge of the barriers and opportunities to generating genomic data and support increased understanding and use of existing meningitis genome collections. 

Training for public health scientists

Training will be developed on genome sequencing for public health scientists in the 26 countries which experience the largest number of meningitis cases in the world (commonly referred to as the African ‘meningitis belt’). Alongside this, the existing scientific knowledge on how genome sequence data has been used to inform public health responses to meningitis will be examined and assessed.

- Research Stream 3: Led by a team at the Institut Pasteur, Paris, this stream aims to establish global standards for the collection and sharing of meningitis-specific metadata, providing vital contextual information when genome data is being analysed. These standards will facilitate international collaboration and data comparison, ultimately advancing the aims of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030.

Research stream 4: Steered by Meningitis Research Foundation in collaboration with the CSRS communication team and the African Science Communication Agency (ASCA), this stream will increase knowledge and understanding of the project, so people can see the benefits of investing in, and enabling, meningitis genomics in low- and middle-income countries. 

Democratising access to genomic surveillance capabilities 

Ultimately this will tell the story of why it is important to advocate for equity, so countries with the least resources can benefit from the advances to be found in the application of genomic sequencing, an approach which will benefit diseases beyond meningitis. 

"Our ultimate goal is to democratise access to genomic surveillance capabilities, particularly in resource-constrained settings," said Dr. Kanny Diallo. "This initiative not only aims to improve disease tracking and outbreak response but also to accelerate progress towards the WHO's target of defeating meningitis as a public health threat by 2030."

About Meningitis Research Foundation 

Meningitis Research Foundation is an international health charity headquartered in the UK, driven by a passionate mission to prevent the devastating impact of meningitis. Founded by individuals whose lives were profoundly affected by meningitis, we are dedicated to enabling positive change by uniting people and knowledge to save lives. 

The Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) is our worldwide network of people and groups who are driven by a shared purpose to defeat meningitis. By coming together to share their diverse experience and expertise, they are a formidable global force against this life-threatening condition. 

Find out more at meningitis.org. 

About Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire

Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS) is a not-for-profit research institution located in Abidjan whose mission is to generate new knowledge through science, and act as a platform for capacity building in Côte d’Ivoire and in the sub-region of West Africa. 

CSRS host four research axes under its Direction of Research and Development, which develop their research agenda based on specific axes of interest. The meningitis research group, led by Dr. Kanny Diallo, is part of the Animal, Human and Environmental Health (ESAH) axis and work on various project to improve meningitis diagnosis, prevention and treatment. 

This project is funded by Wellcome (grant number: 228143/Z/23/Z).