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Reconstruction of Dispersal Patterns of Hypervirulent Meningococcal Strains of Serogroup C:cc11 by Phylogenomic Time

Alessandra Lo Presti1, Arianna Neri1, Cecilia Fazio1

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|November 1, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Hypervirulent *Neisseria meningitidis* serogroup C clonal complex 11 strains, responsible for invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), were traced using phylogenomics. This analysis revealed their introduction and spread, highlighting transmission dynamics and outbreak origins.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • *Neisseria meningitidis* is a commensal bacterium capable of causing devastating epidemics of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD).
  • Serogroup C strains belonging to clonal complex 11 (cc11) are hypervirulent and pose a significant global public health threat.
  • Specific hypervirulent genotypes, such as C:P1.5.1,10-8:F3-6;ST-11(cc11), have been implicated in major outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconstruct the dispersal patterns and epidemic dynamics of hypervirulent *N. meningitidis* serogroup C:cc11 strains.
  • To investigate the origins and transmission routes of the C:P1.5.1,10-8:F3-6;ST-11(cc11) genotype, focusing on the 2015-2016 Tuscany outbreak.
  • To utilize phylogenomic and phylogeographic analyses to track meningococcal dissemination.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenomic time trees were constructed to analyze dispersal patterns.
  • Bayesian phylogeographic analysis was performed on a dataset of 103 Italian and 208 foreign *N. meningitidis* genomes.
  • Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was employed to enable detailed tracking of meningococcal transmission.

Main Results:

  • The C:P1.5.1,10-8:F3-6;ST-11(cc11) genotype originated in the United Kingdom around 1995.
  • Two distinct clades of this hypervirulent genotype were identified in Italy, with the Tuscany outbreak isolates belonging to a subclade introduced from the UK in 2013-2014.
  • Phylogeographic analysis identified multiple introductions into European countries and connections to extra-European regions.

Conclusions:

  • Phylogeographic analysis effectively tracks the dissemination and transmission of *N. meningitidis* strains.
  • The study elucidates how hypervirulent strains can be introduced into naive populations, leading to extensive and prolonged outbreaks.
  • Understanding these transmission dynamics is crucial for public health interventions against invasive meningococcal disease.
Keywords:
Neisseria meningitidisinvasive meningococcal diseasephylogeographypublic health surveillance

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