 Data collection is incomplete in some areas of the world. In the developing world recording, verifying, storing and retrieving data is difficult. This not only makes it difficult to get a clear picture of disease incidence in the country in question, but also impacts on the accuracy of global figures.
Accurate notification of meningitis is vital in ensuring that a precise study of the spread and relative importance of meningitis can be ascertained, and inform present and future disease management strategies.
It is always useful to look at the population, or subpopulation that a statistic relates to, as figures quoted in the mainstream press can easily be misinterpreted. For example, the incidence of meningitis and meningococcal disease reported during the Stroud and Stonehouse outbreak in the mid eighties related only to the population of that area of the UK. It could not be said to represent an increase in the countrywide incidence of either disease.
Mortality figures are simply a reflection of survival and give little indication of the incidence of after effects such as deafness, amputations and learning difficulties. Although where disease severity has been high there may be a greater incidence of after effects.
Therefore it is important to look closely at the way in which data is reported in both public and professional domains. The statistics that are produced about meningitis are complicated and can be confusing. They can only be accepted within the context in which they are reported and are rarely generalisable to populations other than that which they are derived from.
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| Key Points |  Both suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis and meningococcal disease are notifiable. Cases are confirmed by laboratory testing
Disease surveillance relies on notifications, laboratory confirmed cases, and death registrations where meningitis, or meningococcal disease is the stated cause of death
Efficient disease surveillance means that outbreaks and epidemics can be identified and dealt with quickly
It is very important to look closely at epidemiological data and accept it only within the context in which it is reported
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For a more extensive discussion on statistics and their use in reporting meningitis download this document:
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| For up to date statistics on meningitis visit the following web sites: |
Health Protection Agency: www.hpa.org.uk
Scottish Section for Infection & Environmental Health: www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (Northern Ireland): www.cdscni.org.uk
National Disease Surveillance Centre (Republic of Ireland): www.ndsc.ie
Office of National Statistics: www.statistics.gov.uk
World Health Organisation: www.who.int
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