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Kristinsdottir I, Haraldsson A, Thors V. Tonsillectomies are associated with an increased risk of meningococcal carriage. Infect Dis (Lond) 2024:1-4. [PMID: 38757148 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2024.2354310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neisseria meningitidis is a commensal organism with the potential to cause life-threatening disease. Colonisation is most common in adolescence and young adulthood. Various social factors have been associated with an increased risk of meningococcal carriage, but less is known about host factors that may influence the carriage status. Tonsillectomies have been shown to alter the pharyngeal microflora. This study assessed whether a history of tonsillectomy affects the risk of meningococcal colonisation. METHODS Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 15- to 16-year-old adolescents and 18- to 20-year-old young adults. Conventional culture methods and qPCR were used to detect meningococci. 16S qPCR was done to assess bacterial abundance in the samples. Data on history of tonsillectomies were collected from a central national database and the national university hospital. RESULTS A total of 722 samples were collected; 197 from adolescents and 525 from young adults. Thirty-five participants were colonised with meningococci (4.8%). Eighty-eight participants had undergone a tonsillectomy, of which 10 (11.4%) carried meningococci, compared to 4% of those that had not. Prior tonsillectomy was associated with a threefold increased risk of meningococcal colonisation (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.44-6.70, p = 0.004). Tonsillectomies remained a risk factor after adjusting for age, sex, recent antibiotic use and meningococcal vaccinations (aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.13-5.48, p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS A history of tonsillectomy is associated with an increased risk of meningococcal colonisation. More studies are needed to shed light on the effects of tonsillectomies on the pharyngeal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Kristinsdottir
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Children's Hospital Iceland, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Asgeir Haraldsson
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Children's Hospital Iceland, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Valtyr Thors
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Children's Hospital Iceland, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Huber A, Kovács E, Horváth A, Sahin-Tóth J, Kaptás Á, Juhász E, Kristóf K, Dobay O. Prevalence, serogroup distribution and risk factors of Neisseria meningitidis carriage in high school and university students in Hungary. Vaccine 2024; 42:2271-2277. [PMID: 38423809 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.02.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis causes life-threatening invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) with high mortality worldwide. Asymptomatic pharyngeal meningococcus colonisation is an important reservoir for the spread of the bacterium. The aim of this study was to determine N. meningitidis colonisation rates in asymptomatic high school and university students and to identify risk factors for carriage. Oropharyngeal swab samples and data from a self-reported questionnaire were obtained from overall 610 students, among them 303 university students and 307 high school students, aged between 15 and 31 years in Budapest, Hungary, between November 2017 and December 2018. Meningococcal carriage and serogroup of N. meningitidis were determined by RT-PCR from DNA extracted directly from the specimen. N. meningitidis was identified in 212 (34.8 %) of the participants. Significantly higher carriage rate was found among high school students (48.9 %) compared to university students (20.5 %). Peak of colonisation rate was among 17-19-year-old students (48.7 %). Most carriage isolates were non-typable (87.3 %). From the 212 meningococcus carriers, 19 were colonised by serogroup B (9 %), 5 by serogroup C (2.4 %), and 1 had serogroup Y (0.5 %). Significantly higher colonisation rate was found among males (42.4 %) than in females (33.1 %). Antibiotic use in the past 2 months has decreased the rate of meningococcal colonisation. Recent respiratory infection, active or passive smoking and attending parties have not influenced meningococcal colonisation rate significantly. In conclusion, we have found high asymptomatic meningococcus carriage rate among high school students and young adults, however, the majority of the colonizing meningococci were non-typable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamária Huber
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Kovács
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea Horváth
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Sahin-Tóth
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ákos Kaptás
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Emese Juhász
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Kristóf
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Dobay
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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Persson A, Koivula T, Jacobsson S, Stenmark B. Diverse proinflammatory response in pharyngeal epithelial cells upon interaction with Neisseria meningitidis carriage and invasive isolates. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:286. [PMID: 38443838 PMCID: PMC10916014 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09186-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), including sepsis and meningitis, can develop when Neisseria meningitidis bacteria breach the barrier and gain access to the circulation. While IMD is a rare outcome of bacterial exposure, colonization of the oropharynx is present in approximately 10% of the human population. This asymptomatic carriage can be long or short term, and it is unknown which determining factors regulate bacterial colonization. Despite descriptions of many bacterial virulence factors and recent advances in detailed genetic identification and characterization of bacteria, the factors mediating invasion and disease vs. asymptomatic carriage following bacterial colonization remain unknown. The pharyngeal epithelia play a role in the innate immune defense against pathogens, and the aim of this study was to investigate the proinflammatory response of pharyngeal epithelial cells following meningococcal exposure to describe the potential inflammatory mediation performed during the initial host‒pathogen interaction. Clinically relevant isolates of serogroups B, C, W and Y, derived from patients with meningococcal disease as well as asymptomatic carriers, were included in the study. RESULTS The most potent cellular response with proinflammatory secretion of TNF, IL-6, CXCL8, CCL2, IL-1β and IL-18 was found in response to invasive serogroup B isolates. This potent response pattern was also mirrored by increased bacterial adhesion to cells as well as induced cell death. It was, however, only with serogroup B isolates where the most potent cellular response was toward the IMD isolates. In contrast, the most potent cellular response using serogroup Y isolates was directed toward the carriage isolates rather than the IMD isolates. In addition, by comparing isolates from outbreaks in Sweden (epidemiologically linked and highly genetically similar), we found the most potent proinflammatory response in cells exposed to carriage isolates rather than the IMD isolates. CONCLUSION Although certain expected correlations between host‒pathogen interactions and cellular proinflammatory responses were found using IMD serogroup B isolates, our data indicate that carriage isolates invoke stronger proinflammatory activation of the epithelial lining than IMD isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Persson
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Therese Koivula
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Susanne Jacobsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Bianca Stenmark
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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McMillan M, Mohammed H, Bednarz J, Leong LEX, Lawrence A, Sullivan TR, Maiden MCJ, Marshall HS. Longitudinal study of meningococcal carriage in adolescents and young adults in South Australia 2017-2020. J Infect 2024; 88:149-157. [PMID: 38242365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This analysis investigated longitudinal changes in meningococcal carriage in adolescents in South Australia over 4 years. METHODS Data from the "B Part of It" study, which included a state-wide cluster randomized controlled trial in secondary-school students (n = 34,489 in 2017 and 2018) and serial cross-sectional studies in school leavers aged 17-25 years (n = 4028 in 2019-2020). Individuals had oropharyngeal swabs collected annually. This study included two unique cohorts: (1) individuals enrolled in 2019, with three consecutive annual swabs taken in 2017, 2018 and 2019; and (2) individuals enrolled in 2020, with swabs taken in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Disease-associated N. meningitidis genogroups were identified using PCR and whole genome sequencing. Univariate analysis identified risk factors for recurrent carriage (≥2). RESULTS Among school leavers, 50 (1.7%, total n = 2980) had carriage detected at successive visits. In participants with meningococcal carriage at successive visits, 38/50 (76.0%) had the same genogroup detected by porA PCR. Of those, 19 had the same MLST type and demonstrated minimal variation, indicating they most likely had sustained carriage of the same isolate (range 226 to 490 days, mean duration 352 [SD 51] days). In the 2019 school leaver cohort, 6.7% acquired carriage in their first year out of school compared to 3.3% in their final school year. Compared to single carriage detection, recurrent carriage was potentially more likely in older adolescents (16 compared to ≤15 years; OR = 1.97 (95%CI 1.0, 3.86); p = 0.048). CONCLUSION Whilst carriage is typically transient, some adolescents/young adults may have persistent carriage and are likely to be an important group in the transmission of meningococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark McMillan
- Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Hassen Mohammed
- Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jana Bednarz
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; SAHMRI Women and Kids Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lex E X Leong
- Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Andrew Lawrence
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Thomas R Sullivan
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; SAHMRI Women and Kids Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Helen S Marshall
- Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
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Bayhan Gİ, Yüksek SK, Güder L, Konca HK, Özen S, Çöplü N, Şahin NÜ. Twins with meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis. Germs 2023; 13:338-342. [PMID: 38361548 PMCID: PMC10866170 DOI: 10.18683/germs.2023.1403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease is highest in infants and young children. Case report Twin infants diagnosed two days apart with meningitis due to N. meningitidis serogroup B are presented. Conclusions There has never been a report of concurrent meningococcal meningitis in twin brothers. We wanted to highlight the high likelihood of meningococcal transmission through household contacts and the importance of antibiotic prophylaxis and meningococcal vaccination recommendations for close contacts of these cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gülsüm İclal Bayhan
- MD, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Faculty of Medicine, and Ankara City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Saliha Kanık Yüksek
- MD, Ankara City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Latife Güder
- MD, Ankara City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hatice Kübra Konca
- MD, Ankara City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Seval Özen
- MD, Ankara City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nilay Çöplü
- PhD, Ankara City Hospital, Department of Microbiology, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Bilkent Caddesi, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nuriye Ünal Şahin
- PhD, Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Public Health, National Respiratory Pathogens Reference Laboratory, Saglık Mahallesi, Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Sıhhıye, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
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Ivaškevičienė I, Silickaitė J, Mačionienė A, Ivaškevičius R, Bulavaitė A, Gėgžna V, Kiverytė S, Paškevič B, Žvirblienė A, Plečkaitytė M. Molecular characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis carriage strains in university students in Lithuania. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:352. [PMID: 37978423 PMCID: PMC10655475 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03111-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neisseria meningitidis can be carried asymptomatically in the human oropharynx without causing symptoms. Meningococcal carriage is relevant to the epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). No carriage studies have been performed among the general population in Lithuania, whereas the incidence of IMD in Lithuania was among the highest in European countries from 2009 to 2019. RESULTS We analyzed a total of 401 oropharyngeal samples collected from university students from December 2021 to February 2023 for N. meningitidis carriage using direct swab PCR assays and culture. The overall carriage prevalence based on both or either swab PCR or culture was 4.99%. PCR-based assays were used to characterize 15 carriage isolates, including detection of genogroup, multilocus sequence typing profile, and typing of antigens PorA and FetA. The most common carriage isolates were capsule null locus (cnl), accounting for 46.7%, followed by genogroups B (26.7%) and Y (13.3%). We also performed a molecular characterization of invasive N. meningitidis isolates collected during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic period to understand better the meningococcal carriage in the context of prevailing invasive strains. Despite the substantial decrease in the incidence of IMD during the 2020-2022 period, clonal complex 32 (CC32) of serogroup B continued to be the most prevalent IMD-causing CC in Lithuania. However, CC32 was not detected among carriage isolates. The most common CCs were CC269, CC198, and CC1136. The antigen peptide variants found in most carried isolates were classified as 'insufficient data' according to the MenDeVAR Index to evaluate the potential coverage by the 4CMenB vaccine. Nearly half of the isolates were potentially covered by the Men-Fhbp vaccine. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was detected only for one cnl isolate. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin and ceftriaxone. Our analysis identified frequent partying (≥ 4 times/month) as a risk factor for meningococcal carriage, whereas smoking, living in a dormitory, and previous COVID-19 illness were not associated with the carriage. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed a low prevalence of meningococcal carriage among university students in Lithuania. The carriage isolates showed genetic diversity, although almost half of them were identified as having a null capsule locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Ivaškevičienė
- Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Pediatric Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Justina Silickaitė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Asta Mačionienė
- Center of Laboratory Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Rimvydas Ivaškevičius
- Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Pediatric Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aistė Bulavaitė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vilmantas Gėgžna
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Silvija Kiverytė
- Center of Laboratory Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Božena Paškevič
- Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Pediatric Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aurelija Žvirblienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Milda Plečkaitytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
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Watle SV, Børud B, Laake I, Baranowska-Hustad M, Bryant-Bratlie D, Bekkevold T, Caugant DA, Tunheim G, Næss LM. Antibodies against Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, W and Y in serum and saliva of Norwegian adolescents. Vaccine 2023; 41:6529-6537. [PMID: 37648606 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) among Norwegian 16-19-year-olds was 1-7/100,000 in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, with serogroup Y (MenY) dominance. In contrast to many other European countries, meningococcal vaccines are not part of the national immunisation program (NIP) in Norway. This cross-sectional study aimed to measure the degree of natural immunity against Neisseria meningitidis among adolescents in Norway to evaluate the need for introducing tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) in the NIP. MATERIALS AND METHODS Serum and saliva samples were collected from students in upper and lower secondary schools in Norway in 2018. Samples were analysed for meningococcal capsular polysaccharide (PS)-specific antibodies using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay. PS-specific antibody levels were linked to data on meningococcal carriage, vaccination status and risk factors for carriage (assessed with questionnaire) and analysed by linear regression of log transformed concentrations. A subset of samples from unvaccinated individuals was analysed for serum bactericidal antibodies (SBA). RESULTS A total of 1344 participants, median age 16 years (range 12-24), were included in the study. Overall, 60.9% of the participants were female and 1137 (84.6%) were not vaccinated with MCV4. PS-specific antibody concentrations in serum and saliva were low among unvaccinated individuals for all serogroups and only 6.7-20.0% of the subpopulation with high PS-specific antibodies assessed with SBA had protective levels. Unvaccinated MenY carriers had higher levels of MenY anti-PS IgG in serum and IgA in saliva than those not carrying MenY. Use of Swedish snus was associated with lower anti-PS IgG levels in serum and waterpipe use with lower anti-PS IgG levels in saliva. CONCLUSION Unvaccinated adolescents in Norway have a low degree of natural immunity against the serogroups of N. meningitidis predominating among cases of IMD in this age group. Therefore, introduction of MCV4 for adolescents in the NIP is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Viksmoen Watle
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway; Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1078, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Bente Børud
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ida Laake
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Marta Baranowska-Hustad
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Diane Bryant-Bratlie
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Terese Bekkevold
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Dominique A Caugant
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway; Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1078, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Gro Tunheim
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Lisbeth Meyer Næss
- Division of Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway
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Eriksson L, Johannesen TB, Stenmark B, Jacobsson S, Säll O, Hedberg ST, Fredlund H, Stegger M, Mölling P. Genetic variants linked to the phenotypic outcome of invasive disease and carriage of Neisseria meningitidis. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001124. [PMID: 37874326 PMCID: PMC10634450 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis can be a human commensal in the upper respiratory tract but is also capable of causing invasive diseases such as meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. No specific genetic markers have been detected to distinguish carriage from disease isolates. The aim here was to find genetic traits that could be linked to phenotypic outcomes associated with carriage versus invasive N. meningitidis disease through a bacterial genome-wide association study (GWAS). In this study, invasive N. meningitidis isolates collected in Sweden (n=103) and carriage isolates collected at Örebro University, Sweden (n=213) 2018-2019 were analysed. The GWAS analysis, treeWAS, was applied to single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genes and k-mers. One gene and one non-synonymous SNP were associated with invasive disease and seven genes and one non-synonymous SNP were associated with carriage isolates. The gene associated with invasive disease encodes a phage transposase (NEIS1048), and the associated invasive SNP glmU S373C encodes the enzyme N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate (GlcNAC 1-P) uridyltransferase. Of the genes associated with carriage isolates, a gene variant of porB encoding PorB class 3, the genes pilE/pilS and tspB have known functions. The SNP associated with carriage was fkbp D33N, encoding a FK506-binding protein (FKBP). K-mers from PilS, tbpB and tspB were found to be associated with carriage, while k-mers from mtrD and tbpA were associated with invasiveness. In the genes fkbp, glmU, PilC and pilE, k-mers were found that were associated with both carriage and invasive isolates, indicating that specific variations within these genes could play a role in invasiveness. The data presented here highlight genetic traits that are significantly associated with invasive or carriage N. meningitidis across the species population. These traits could prove essential to our understanding of the pathogenicity of N. meningitidis and could help to identify future vaccine targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Eriksson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Thor Bech Johannesen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bianca Stenmark
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Susanne Jacobsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Olof Säll
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Sara Thulin Hedberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Hans Fredlund
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Marc Stegger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paula Mölling
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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