title: Clonal distribution of invasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strains circulating from 1976 to 2005 in greater Sao Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: Meningococcal disease is characterized by cyclic fluctuations in incidence, serogroup distribution, and antigenic profiles. In greater São Paulo, Brazil, there has been a constant increase in the incidence of serogroup C meningococcal disease since the late 1980s. To gain an understanding of changes in serogroup C meningococcal disease over three decades in greater São Paulo, Brazil, 1,059 invasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C isolates from 1976 and 2005 were analyzed. Three major clone complexes, sequence type (ST)-11, ST-8, and ST-103, were identified by multilocus sequence typing, and the isolates were characterized by serotyping and 16S rRNA typing. During the 30-year period, there were two major antigenic replacements: from 2a:P1.(5,2) to 2b:P1.3 and subsequently to 23:P1.14-6. All strains of clone ST-103 were characterized as serotype 23 and serosubtype P1.14-6. The origin of 23:P1.14-6 ST-103 complex strains is unknown, but efforts are needed to monitor its spread and define its virulence. The antigenic replacements we observed likely represent a mechanism to sustain meningococcal disease in the population as immunity to circulating strains accumulated.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351 9 andar, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil. apaula@ial.sp.gov.br
authors.forename: Ana Paula Silva
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Lemos
authors.forename: Teresa Ykuko
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yara
authors.forename: Maria Cecília Outeiro
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gorla
authors.forename: Maria Vaneide
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Paiva
authors.forename: Adriana Lambert
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Maria Inês Cappelletti
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Samanta Cristine Grassi
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Gloria Regina Feitas
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: do Valle
authors.forename: Claudio Tavares
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sacchi
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S