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Increase in meningococcal disease associated with the emergence of a novel ST-11 variant of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis in Victoria, Australia, 1999–2000

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2002

D. E. TRIBE
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
A. M. ZAIA
Affiliation:
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
J. M. GRIFFITH
Affiliation:
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
P. M. ROBINSON
Affiliation:
Communicable Diseases Section, Department of Human Services, Victoria, Australia
H. Y. LI
Affiliation:
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
K. N. TAYLOR
Affiliation:
Communicable Diseases Section, Department of Human Services, Victoria, Australia
G. G. HOGG
Affiliation:
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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Abstract

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In the years 1999–2000, there was an increase in the incidence of meningococcal disease in Victoria, largely caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C. This change was associated with a shift in age distribution of cases, with relatively more disease appearing in the 15–29 year age group, and with 40/58 serogroup C isolates in 2000 exhibiting a new macrorestriction pattern (pattern A). Thirty-four of 52 pattern A isolates tested displayed the novel phenotype C:2a:P1.4, and were consistently porA VR type P1.7-2,4 by DNA sequencing. Nine of 10 representative pattern A isolates analysed displayed a housekeeping gene allele profile (ST-11) that is characteristic of the electrophoretic type (ET)-15 variant that has caused outbreaks in Canada, the Czech Republic and Greece. Meningococci belonging to the ST-11 complex that were isolated in Victoria prior to 1999 did not display either restriction pattern A or PorA VR type P1.7-2,4.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press