Comparison of serogroup W-135 meningococci isolated in Sweden during a 23-year period and those associated with a recent hajj pilgrimage.
An outbreak of serogroup W-135 meningococcal disease was reported among pilgrims returning from the annual hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) in mid-March 2000. Molecular characterization was used to investigate the similarity of the hajj-associated W-135 strains with those isolated in Sweden during a 23-year period (1978 to 2000). The same hajj-associated genosubtype, genosubtype P1.5,2,36b, has been documented in Sweden since 1979, while pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and the sulfadiazine resistance of the W-135 isolates indicated that the outbreak was probably due to a new clone of W-135 meningococci.
Mölling
P
P
National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Clinical Microbiology & Immunology, Orebro Medical Centre Hospital, Orebro, Sweden. paula.molling@orebroll.se
Bäckman
A
A
Olcén
P
P
Fredlund
H
H
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
D018272:Porins; C057699:porin protein, Neisseria