title: Epidemiology and pathogenesis of Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: Neisseria meningitidis, an exclusive pathogen of humans, remains the leading worldwide cause of meningitis and fatal sepsis, usually in otherwise healthy individuals. In recent years, significant advances have improved our understanding of the epidemiology and genetic basis of meningococcal disease and led to progress in the development of the next generation of meningococcal vaccines. This review summarizes current knowledge of the human susceptibility to and the epidemiology and molecular pathogenesis of meningococcal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Georgia, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Stephens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence