Vaccine Preventability of Meningococcal Clone,Greater Aachen Region,Germany |
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Authors: | Johannes Elias Leo M Schouls Ingrid van de Pol Wendy C Keijzers Diana R Martin Anne Glennie Philipp Oster Matthias Frosch Ulrich Vogel Arie van der Ende |
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Institution: | University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany (J. Elias, M. Frosch, U. Vogel);National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVN), Bilthoven, the Netherlands (L.M. Schouls, I. van de Pol);Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (W.C. Keijzers, A. van der Ende);Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Porirua, New Zealand (D.R. Martin, A. Glennie);Novartis Vaccines, Siena, Italy (P. Oster);1.These authors contributed equally to this article. |
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Abstract: | Emergence of serogroup B meningococci of clonal complex sequence type (ST) 41/44 can cause high levels of disease, as exemplified by a recent epidemic in New Zealand. Multiplication of annual incidence rates (3.1 cases/100,000 population) of meningococcal disease in a defined German region, the city of Aachen and 3 neighboring countries (Greater Aachen) prompted us to investigate and determine the source and nature of this outbreak. Using molecular typing and geographic mapping, we analyzed 1,143 strains belonging to ST41/44 complex, isolated from persons with invasive meningococcal disease over 6 years (2001–2006) from 2 German federal states (total population 26 million) and the Netherlands. A spatially slowly moving clone with multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis type 19, ST42, and antigenic profile B:P1.7–2,4:F1–5 was responsible for the outbreak. Bactericidal activity in serum samples from the New Zealand MeNZB vaccination campaign confirmed vaccine preventability. Because this globally distributed epidemic strain spreads slowly, vaccination efforts could possibly eliminate meningococcal disease in this area. |
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Keywords: | Meningococcal infections meningococcal vaccine bacterial typing techniques outbreak bacteria Germany the Netherlands Greater Aachen Region research |
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