title: First report of capsule replacement among electrophoretic type 37 Neisseria meningitidis strains in Italy.
abstract: This report describes the C-to-B capsular switching in four Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to the electrophoretic type 37 (ET-37) complex. In particular, one strain belonged to the new sequence type 1860, which was first detected in the year 2000 in Italy and is now frequently isolated. The presence of switched serogroup B strains deserves special attention if they prove as able to spread as their serogroup C progenitors belonging to the hypervirulent ET-37 complex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology and Medical Mycology, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Tonino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastrantonio
mesh_terms: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements