BOULDER, Colo.—Boulder weather researchers are joining international experts to issue long-term forecasts for Africa that will help anticipate the dry, dusty conditions that trigger meningitis outbreaks.
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research said Wednesday the forecasts will help health-care providers focus their limited supply of vaccinations in regions most at risk while pulling back from areas expected to get rain. Researchers say meningitis epidemics typically end when the summer rainy season starts.
“By targeting forecasts in regions where meningitis is a threat, we may be able to help vulnerable populations,” said Rajul Pandya, director of UCAR’s Community Building Program.
He said the program hopes to expand the project to other parts of the world where weather-related diseases are a problem.
Sub-Saharan Africa is considered one of the most vulnerable areas of the continent, with a so-called “meningitis belt” that stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia.
The disease infects the bloodstream or the meninges, a lining covering the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include high fever, headache, vomiting and a stiff neck and a rash.
In 1996 and 1997, more than 250,000 people in Africa contracted meningitis, and 25,000 died. Researchers said it was the largest outbreak of the disease ever recorded.
Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, will fund the project with $900,000.
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