title: Neisseria meningitidis sequence type and risk for death, Iceland.
abstract: Invasive meningococcal infections are hyperendemic in Iceland, a relatively isolated country in the mid-Atlantic. We performed a nationwide study on all viable meningococcal strains (N = 362) from 1977 to 2004. We analyzed the association of patient's age and sex, meningococcal serogroups, and sequence types (STs) with outcomes. Overall, 59 different STs were identified, 19 of which were unique to Iceland. The most common STs were 32 (24.6%), 11 (19.9%), and 10 (10.2%). The unique ST-3492 ranked fourth (7.7%). The most common serogroups were B (56.4%), C (39.8%), and A (2.2%). Age (p < 0.001) and infection with a unique ST (p = 0.011) were independently associated with increased death rates, whereas isolation of meningococci from cerebrospinal fluid only was associated with lower death rates (p = 0.046). This study shows evolutionary trends of meningococcal isolates in a relatively isolated community and highlights an association between unique STs and poor outcome.
authors.affiliation: Landspítali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland. magnusgo@landspitali.is
authors.forename: Magnús
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gottfredsson
authors.forename: Mathew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Diggle
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lawrie
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erlensdóttir
authors.forename: Hjördis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hardardóttir
authors.forename: Karl G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kristinsson
authors.forename: Stuart c
authors.initials: Sc
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents