title: Whole-Genome Characterization of Epidemic Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup C and Resurgence of Serogroup W, Niger, 2015.
abstract: In 2015, Niger reported the largest epidemic of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC) meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. The NmC epidemic coincided with serogroup W (NmW) cases during the epidemic season, resulting in a total of 9,367 meningococcal cases through June 2015. To clarify the phylogenetic association, genetic evolution, and antibiotic determinants of the meningococcal strains in Niger, we sequenced the genomes of 102 isolates from this epidemic, comprising 81 NmC and 21 NmW isolates. The genomes of 82 isolates were completed, and all 102 were included in the analysis. All NmC isolates had sequence type 10217, which caused the outbreaks in Nigeria during 2013-2014 and for which a clonal complex has not yet been defined. The NmC isolates from Niger were substantially different from other NmC isolates collected globally. All NmW isolates belonged to clonal complex 11 and were closely related to the isolates causing recent outbreaks in Africa.
authors.forename: Cecilia B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kretz
authors.forename: Adam C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Retchless
authors.forename: Fati
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sidikou
authors.forename: Bassira
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Issaka
authors.forename: Sani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ousmane
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Ashley H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.forename: Assimawè
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pana
authors.forename: Berthe-Marie
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Njanpop-Lafourcade
authors.forename: Innocent
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nzeyimana
authors.forename: Ricardo Obama
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Nse
authors.forename: Ala-Eddine
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Deghmane
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ola Brønstad
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Brynildsrud
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Odile Ouwe Missi
authors.initials: OOM
authors.lastname: Oukem-Boyer
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ronveaux
authors.forename: Dominique A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Caugant
authors.forename: Muhamed-Kheir
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D058872:Epidemics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009548:Niger / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Meningococcal meningitis; Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C; Niger; bacteria; meningitis belt; whole-genome sequencing