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Group A streptococcal meningitis: emm type distribution and theoretical vaccine coverage in children

David Tuerlinckx1, Emmanuelle Gueulette2, Katherine Loens3

  • 1a CHU Dinant-Godinne , Service de Pédiatrie, Université Catholique de Louvain , Yvoir , Belgium.

Acta Clinica Belgica
|August 31, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) meningitis is rare in children. This study found emm1, emm6, emm12, and emm3 were the most common types, with a 30-valent vaccine candidate potentially covering over 77% of cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Group A Streptococcus (GAS) meningitis is an uncommon but severe infection in children.
  • Limited data exists on the emm-type distribution of GAS meningitis strains.
  • Understanding emm-type prevalence is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the emm-type distribution of GAS meningitis in Belgian children.
  • To compare molecular characteristics of GAS meningitis isolates with previously reported cases.
  • To assess the potential coverage of a 30-valent GAS vaccine candidate.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of eight pediatric GAS meningitis cases in Belgium (2008-2013).
  • Comparison of molecular data with 55 previously reported GAS meningitis cases and their emm-types.
  • Calculation of theoretical vaccine coverage based on emm-type distribution.

Main Results:

  • emm1 was the most frequent emm-type (24%), followed by emm6 (11%), emm12 (11%), and emm3 (6%).
  • These four emm-types accounted for 52% of all analyzed GAS meningitis cases.
  • A total of 28 different emm-types were identified across 16 emm-clusters, indicating broad diversity.
  • The 30-valent vaccine candidate showed theoretical coverage of 77.8% (49/63 isolates).

Conclusions:

  • The study identified key emm-types responsible for GAS meningitis in children.
  • Findings suggest no specific emm-type or emm-cluster has a strong propensity to cause meningitis.
  • A 30-valent vaccine candidate demonstrates promising potential for broad protection against GAS meningitis.

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