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Molecular characterisation of group A Neisseria meningitidis isolated in Sudan 1985-2001

Susanne Jacobsson1, Mohamed Issa, Magnus Unemo

  • 1National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Orebro University Hospital, Orebro, Sweden. susanne.jacobsson@orebroll.se

APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, Et Immunologica Scandinavica
|November 25, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Three distinct clones of group A Neisseria meningitidis were identified in Sudan between 1985 and 2001. These clones showed genetic and phenotypic changes over time, impacting meningitis epidemiology in Africa.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Neisseria meningitidis (Mc) is a major cause of bacterial meningitis, particularly in Africa's meningitis belt.
  • Understanding the genetic evolution of circulating strains is crucial for disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize changes in group A Neisseria meningitidis clones over time in Sudan.
  • To describe the genetic and phenotypic diversity of Mc isolates from 1985 to 2001.

Main Methods:

  • Phenotypic characterization: serogrouping, serotyping, serosubtyping, and antibiogram.
  • Molecular techniques: genosubtyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with SpeI and NheI, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Main Results:

  • Three distinct group A Mc clones were identified, associated with different time periods and epidemic events.
  • Clone 1 (pre-1988) was sulphadiazine sensitive, while clones 2 (1988 epidemic) and 3 (1999 epidemic) were resistant.
  • Clones 2 and 3 showed high similarity in MLST but distinct PFGE patterns, indicating genetic divergence over time.

Conclusions:

  • The study identified significant clonal evolution of group A Neisseria meningitidis in Sudan.
  • Changes in antibiotic resistance and genetic profiles of Mc clones influenced meningitis epidemiology.
  • PFGE and MLST are valuable tools for tracking meningococcal evolution and outbreaks.

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