Reverse vaccinology--in search of a genome-derived meningococcal vaccine

Although significant advances have been made toward the control of bacterial meningitis in children with the development of capsular polysaccharide protein conjugate vaccines, this approach has proven problematic for the serogroup B meningococcus. Non-capsular vaccines based upon outer membrane vesicles of Neisseria meningitidis have been useful in control of clonal serogroup B outbreaks, although due to variability of PorA, these vaccines may be less useful in control of endemic disease. Genome-based vaccine discovery was evaluated in an attempt to produce a candidate capable of conferring a broadly protective vaccine against a diversity of meningococcal B strains.