title: Epidemic spread and antigenic variability of Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: Genetic variation of cell-surface antigens of serogroup A meningococci arises from horizontal genetic exchange. Most clonal variants are lost by clonal reduction during epidemic and pandemic spread, but in exceptional cases, genetic variants are rapidly fixed in the bacterial population by clonal replacement.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institut für molekulare Genetik, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Achtman
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C074517:opc protein, bacteria; C090348:Opa protein, Neisseria