[Neisseria meningitidis: characterisation and epidemiology]. / Bactériologie de Neisseria meningitidis.
Arch Pediatr
; 19 Suppl 2: S55-60, 2012 Sep.
Article
in Fr
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22883367
Neisseria meningitidis are Gram-negative cocci, whose reservoir is exclusively human. This bacterium has several virulence factors including capsule with antiphagocytic properties, lipopolysaccharide, iron uptake system, pili and an IgA1 protease. The strains can be typed by immunological or genotypic methods. Phenotypic determination defines the serogroup, serotype, subtype and immunotype. Molecular typing, a very discriminating method, allows the determination of clonal complexes. These two epidemiological approaches allow the characterization of N. meningitidis strains. Conversely to the other strains, invasive strains belong to a very limited number of clonal complexes (CC). The evolution of the genome of N. meningitidis is the consequence of horizontal transfer of DNA occurring by transformation or recombination and leading to capsular exchanges. The distribution of the different serogroups varies according to the different countries. In France, in 2010, the serogroups B, C, W135 and Y accounted respectively for 72%, 17%, 5% and 2% of cases of invasive infections. The recent emergence of serogroup X in Niger highlights the need for continuing epidemiological surveillance.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Meningococcal Infections
/
Neisseria meningitidis
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Infant
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
Fr
Journal:
Arch Pediatr
Year:
2012
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
France
Country of publication:
France