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Variable-number tandem repeat analysis of meningococcal isolates belonging to the sequence type 162 complex
Siamak P Yazdankhah1, Konstantinos Kesanopoulos, Georgina Tzanakaki
1Department of Airborne Infections, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway. siya@fhi.no
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|September 8, 2005
Summary
Meningococcal isolates from Greece in 1999-2000 showed significant genetic diversity within the ST-162 complex. This heterogeneity suggests disease cases were not linked to a single outbreak event.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neisseria meningitidis, a significant bacterial pathogen, is a leading cause of meningitis and septicemia worldwide.
- The sequence type (ST) 162 complex is recognized as a prevalent group of meningococcal strains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic relatedness of meningococcal isolates belonging to the ST-162 complex collected in Greece between 1999 and 2000.
- To determine if disease-associated isolates originated from a common source or represented a clonal outbreak.
Main Methods:
- Variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis was employed to assess the genetic diversity of 31 meningococcal isolates.
- Isolates were obtained from both asymptomatic carriers and individuals with invasive meningococcal disease.
Main Results:
- The study revealed considerable genetic heterogeneity among the meningococcal isolates within the ST-162 clonal complex.
- No distinct clustering indicative of a single clonal expansion was observed among disease-associated isolates.
Conclusions:
- The genetic diversity observed within the ST-162 complex in Greece during 1999-2000 suggests multiple independent introductions or a long-standing diverse population.
- The findings indicate that the meningococcal disease cases studied were unlikely to have resulted from a single, common outbreak originating from this clonal complex.