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Bordetella pertussis vaccine strains and circulating isolates in Serbia

Gordana Dakic1, Teemu Kallonen, Annika Elomaa

  • 1Institute of Virology, Vaccine and Sera Torlak, Belgrade, Serbia.

Vaccine
|December 1, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Serbian Bordetella pertussis strains show genetic differences from other vaccinated populations. These variations in pertussis toxin (ptxA) and pertactin (prn) alleles may be linked to the specific whole cell pertussis vaccine composition used since 1985.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Serbia has utilized a whole cell pertussis vaccine since 1957, with its current formulation established in 1985.
  • The vaccine contains four autochthonous Bordetella pertussis strains isolated between 1957 and 1984.

Observation:

  • A study analyzed 70 Bordetella pertussis isolates (1953-2000) and vaccine strains using serotyping, genotyping (ptxA, prn), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
  • Genetic shifts were observed, including a move from ptxA2 to ptxA1 alleles in the late 1960s, with ptxA1 predominant by 1980-1984.
  • The re-emergence of ptxA2 followed the 1985 vaccine update introducing ptxA1 strains.
  • prn1 was the dominant allele, with prn3 and prn11 appearing later, and prn2 detected only in 2000.
  • Fimbrial serotype Fim2.3 vanished before 1980, with Fim2 becoming predominant.

Findings:

  • Serbian Bordetella pertussis isolates exhibit distinct genetic profiles compared to those in other vaccinated populations.
  • Significant variations were noted in the ptxA and prn alleles between the Serbian vaccine strains and the studied isolates.
  • The observed genetic changes in Bordetella pertussis correlate with the vaccine's historical composition and introduction timeline.

Implications:

  • The unique genetic characteristics of Serbian Bordetella pertussis strains may necessitate tailored vaccine strategies or monitoring.
  • Understanding these population dynamics is crucial for evaluating vaccine effectiveness and guiding future pertussis vaccine development.
  • The study highlights the potential impact of vaccine strain selection on the evolution of circulating bacterial populations.

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