Increased genetic diversity of Neisseria meningitidis isolates after the introduction of meningococcal serogroup C polysaccharide conjugate vaccines.
During the 1990s, the incidence of meningococcal disease was high in the United Kingdom. This was due primarily to an increase in serogroup C disease, particularly that within the ET-37/ST-11 genetic lineage. Serogroup C meningococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccines were introduced in the United Kingdom in 1999, but the sequence types of meningococci causing disease since that time have not yet been reported. We have used serogrouping and multilocus sequence typing to characterize meningococci from patients with invasive disease over a 4-year period and show that there is a significant increase in genetic diversity but no genetic evidence of capsule switching.
Diggle
Mathew A
MA
Scottish Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, UK.
Clarke
Stuart C
SC
D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom
D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011134:Polysaccharides; C410218:serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine