Diversity of Neisseria meningitidis invasive isolates in Italy in the period 2008-2010.

In the period 2008-2010, 309 Neisseria meningitidis, isolated in Italy within the National Surveillance of the Invasive Meningococcal Diseases, have been tested for their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. The main results obtained are: (a) an increase of the strains of serogroup B and a decrease of serogroup C; (b) a phenotypic and genotypic variability of the ST-41/44 clonal complex, the most frequently isolated among serogroup B strains; (c) a decrease of ST-8 clonal complex among serogroup C meningococci whereas strains belonging to ST-11 clonal complex are nowadays the most frequently isolated.

Characterisation of Neisseria meningitidis C strains causing two clusters in the north of Italy in 2007 and 2008.

Two clusters of invasive meningococcal disease in the north of Italy both due to serogroup C/ST-11 clonal complex are here described. The objective of the investigation was to analyse the phenotype and the genotype of meningococci involved in the two clusters which were of national relevance due to the fatal outcome of the majority of cases (six of the total of 10 cases). All the strains were C:2a:P1.5 ST-11/ET-37 clonal complex. Two pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) profiles were identified, one for each cluster. VNTRs were different from those detected in Italy for C/ST-11 strains isolated from sporadic cases in the same period. This laboratory surveillance report highlights the importance and the crucial role of molecular characterisation to confirm the relatedness among meningococci responsible for clusters of cases.

Draft Genome Sequence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Sequence Type 1407, a Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolate.

Gonorrhea may become untreatable due to the spread of resistant or multidrug-resistant strains. Cefixime-resistant gonococci belonging to sequence type 1407 have been described worldwide. We report the genome sequence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain G2891, a multidrug-resistant isolate of sequence type 1407, collected in Italy in 2013.

Cefixime and ceftriaxone susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Italy from 2006 to 2010.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistance to cephalosporins, the currently recommended treatment, and treatment failures with cefixime have been reported worldwide. The purposes of the present study were (i) to examine the susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae isolates isolated in Italy from 2006 through 2010 to cefixime (n = 293) taking into account both European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and Clinical And Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) criteria for categorization; (ii) to determine the contribution to decreased/resistant susceptibility of mutations in the penA, mtrR, ponA and porB1b genes in a subsample of isolates; and (iii) to genotype the isolates showing decreased susceptibility or resistance to cefixime, by N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify the predominant genotypes. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by the E-test and agar dilution method on 293 isolates and results were interpreted according to both EUCAST 2010 (MIC R >0.12 mg/L) and CLSI 2008 (MIC R >0.25 mg/L) criteria. All isolates showed full susceptibility to ceftriaxone, whereas those with a MIC for cefixime ≥0.125 mg/L were on the increase from 2008 through 2010. The same penA gene alterations were found among isolates with MICs close to the EUCAST breakpoint as the resistant ones, and they belong to ST1407. Seven isolates, belonging to various sequence types, showed a different por allele, though similar to the por 908 allele present in ST1407. PFGE divided strains ST1407 into two main groups confirming their genetic relationship.