Expansion of syndromic vaccine preventable disease surveillance to include bacterial meningitis and Japanese encephalitis: Evaluation of adapting polio and measles laboratory networks in Bangladesh, China and India, 2007-2008

Polio-measles surveillance and laboratory networks provided useful infrastructure for establishing syndromic surveillance and building capacity for JE diagnosis, but were less applicable for bacterial meningitis. Laboratory-supported surveillance for vaccine-preventable bacterial diseases will require substantial technical and financial support to enhance local diagnostic capacity.