title: Virulence markers in patient and carrier strains of Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: Patient and carrier strains of Neisseria meningitidis from 2 different periods were compared with respect to serogroups, serotypes and sensitivity to sulphadiazine. The majority of 249 patient strains were resistant to sulphadiazine, and belonged to the groups A, B or C. The group B and C strains were mainly type 15/16 and 2, respectively. In contrast, most of the 400 carrier strains belonged to serotypes other than 2 or 15/16, or were non-typable, and most strains were sensitive to sulphadiazine. Among the resistant group B and C carrier strains there were more type 2 and 15/16 strains than would have been expected from the average. The virulence markers: serogroup A, B and C, serotype 2 and 15/16, and resistance to sulphadiazine, coexist in more carrier strains than would be expected if the distribution of these markers was random.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009664:Norway; D012703:Serotyping; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D013411:Sulfadiazine