title: Sero- and subtypes of group B meningococci causing invasive infections in Finland in 1976-87.
abstract: Neisseria meningitidis group B (MenB) strains isolated from 1976 to 1987 in Finland in 339 patients with invasive infection were sero/subtyped by whole cell enzyme immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies to class 1 and 2/3 outer membrane proteins. 66.7% of the strains could be serotyped (class 2/3) and 70.2% subtyped (class 1). No single phenotype was clearly predominant. The most common serotypes were 4 (18.6%) and 14 (17.4%) and the most common subtypes P1.16 (20.1%) and P1.2 (12.1%). The Norwegian phenotype B:15:P1.16 was seen only rarely (a total of 18 strains). Strains from Northern Finland did not differ from those from Southern Finland: no single phenotype caused the slight increase seen in the incidence of MenB infections in the end of 1970s in the North.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Käyhty
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poolman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdillahi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sivonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eskola
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarkka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010641:Phenotype; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins