Three Cases of Invasive Meningococcal Disease Caused by a Capsule Null Locus Strain Circulating among Healthy Carriers in Burkina Faso | Zendy

Helen Findlow | Zendy; Ulrich Vogel | Zendy; Judith E. Mueller | Zendy; Alan Curry | Zendy; BertheMarie NjanpopLafourcade | Zendy; Heike Claus | Zendy; Stephen J. Gray | Zendy; Seydou Yaro | Zendy; Yves Traoré | Zendy; Lassana Sangaré | Zendy; Pierre Nicolas | Zendy; Bradford D. Gessner | Zendy; Ray Borrow | Zendy

Open Access

Three Cases of Invasive Meningococcal Disease Caused by a Capsule Null Locus Strain Circulating among Healthy Carriers in Burkina Faso

Author(s) -

Helen Findlow,

Ulrich Vogel,

Judith E. Mueller,

Alan Curry,

BertheMarie NjanpopLafourcade,

Heike Claus,

Stephen J. Gray,

Seydou Yaro,

Yves Traoré,

Lassana Sangaré,

Pierre Nicolas,

Bradford D. Gessner,

Ray Borrow

Publication year - 2007

Publication title -

the journal of infectious diseases

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69

H-Index - 252

eISSN - 1537-6613

pISSN - 0022-1899

DOI - 10.1086/512084

Subject(s) - biology , locus (genetics) , meningococcal disease , microbiology and biotechnology , multilocus sequence typing , meningitis , population , virology , gene , typing , neisseria meningitidis , genetics , bacteria , medicine , genotype , environmental health , psychiatry

During reinforced surveillance of acute bacterial meningitis in Burkina Faso, meningococcal strains of phenotype NG:NT:NST were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid samples from 3 patients. The strains were negative for the ctrA gene but were positive for the crgA gene. Molecular typing revealed that the strains harbored the capsule null locus (cnl) and belonged to the multilocus sequence type (ST)-192. PorA sequencing showed that all strains were either P1.18-11,42; P1.18,42-1; P1.18-11,42-1; P1.18-11,42-3; or P1.18-12,42-1. Sequencing also showed that all strains were negative for the FetA receptor gene. Serum killing assays showed these strains to be resistant, with the resistance comparable with that of a fully capsular serogroup B strain, MC58. The same strains were found in 14 healthy carriers in the general population of Bobo-Dioulasso (100% of ST-192 isolates tested for cnl). The presence of cnl meningococci that can escape serum killing and cause invasive disease is of concern for future vaccination strategies and should promote rigorous surveillance of cnl meningococcal disease.

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