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Neisseria meningitidis: using genomics to understand diversity, evolution and pathogenesis
Dominique A Caugant1,2, Ola B Brynildsrud3,4
1Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. dominique.caugant@fhi.no.
Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|November 10, 2019
Summary
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) advances understanding of Neisseria meningitidis, the bacterium causing meningococcal disease. WGS aids in tracking bacterial diversity and evolution for improved public health strategies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Meningococcal disease causes significant global morbidity and mortality.
- Neisseria meningitidis exhibits extensive diversity and antigenic variability, hindering disease elimination.
- High rates of horizontal gene transfer and phase variation contribute to bacterial adaptability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding Neisseria meningitidis biology and meningococcal disease epidemiology using whole-genome sequencing (WGS).
- To highlight the impact of WGS on characterizing bacterial diversity, evolution, and virulence.
- To discuss the role of WGS in epidemiological surveillance and vaccine impact assessment.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from large collections of Neisseria meningitidis isolates.
- Employing bioinformatics tools for data analysis, storage, and sharing.
- Reviewing recent scientific literature on WGS applications in meningococcal research.
Main Results:
- WGS has significantly enhanced understanding of N. meningitidis diversity, evolution, and population structure.
- Identification of mechanisms for virulent trait emergence through genomic analysis.
- Demonstration of WGS utility in improving epidemiological surveillance and assessing vaccine impact.
Conclusions:
- Whole-genome sequencing is a powerful tool for dissecting the complexity of Neisseria meningitidis.
- WGS provides critical insights for developing and evaluating public health interventions against meningococcal disease.
- Continued implementation of WGS is essential for controlling and potentially eliminating meningococcal disease globally.
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