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Impact of Molecular Biology in the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Invasive Meningococcal Disease

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 4937

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
National Reference Laboratory for Meningococci, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: molecular surveillance in neisseria meningitidis, including diagnosis, molecular characterization, population biology, antimicrobial resistance and vaccines

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Reference Laboratory for Meningococci, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: molecular surveillance in Neisseria meningitidis, including diagnosis, molecular characterization, population biology, antimicrobial resistance and vaccines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis is the aetiological agent associated with Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD), a devastating disease that remains a public health concern because of its rapid onset and significant risk of death and long-term disability. Even with proper therapy, the disease has a high mortality rate (5-10%) and a high number of long-term sequelae (10–20% of survivors). In recent years, the greater accessibility of molecular and cellular techniques has allowed an enormous advance in the knowledge of the disease, defining risk factors in the susceptible population, describing genetic mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, and particularly, developing new vaccines with different antigenic formulations, for which new tools, also based on molecular biology, have been developed. Diagnosis, population biology and animal models are also topics that have ostensibly improved, in parallel with molecular biology. For any of these topics, and for those that may not have been mentioned, this Special Issue is open to contributions, both in the form of reviews and research articles.

Prof. Dr. Julio A Vázquez
Dr. Raquel Abad
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • neisseria meningitidis
  • invasive meningococcal disease (IMD)
  • meningococcus
  • meningococcal vaccines
  • meningococcal population
  • host and meningococci interaction

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3557 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Genome Analysis of Neisseria meningitidis from South America Reveals a Distinctive Pathogenicity-Related Prophage Repertoire
by David Madariaga-Troncoso, Benjamin Leyton-Carcaman, Matias Garcia, Mikihiko Kawai and Michel Abanto Marin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15731; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415731 - 12 Dec 2022
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Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that colonizes in the human nasopharynx, occasionally causes invasive meningococcal disease leading to meningitis or septicemia. Different serogroups and lineages (clonal complexes) are related to the occurrence and epidemiology of N. meningitidis. Despite vaccines for most serogroups, [...] Read more.
Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that colonizes in the human nasopharynx, occasionally causes invasive meningococcal disease leading to meningitis or septicemia. Different serogroups and lineages (clonal complexes) are related to the occurrence and epidemiology of N. meningitidis. Despite vaccines for most serogroups, N. meningitidis lineages causing unusual clinical manifestations and a higher fatality rate compared to other lineages have been reported in South America. The present study focused on exploring the diversity of N. meningitidis prophages from South America and their relationship with the epidemiological variables of these strains. We found a high diversity of prophages among the different clonal complexes. By comparing them with previously described N. meningitidis phages and prophages, we revealed groups of prophages sharing similar compositions, which could be useful for prophage comparison in N. meningitidis. Furthermore, we observed a high correlation between the prophage content and epidemiological features, e.g., pathogenicity or clonal complex. Additionally, a distinctive filamentous prophage named here as IMSAR-11 (Invasive Meningococci from South America Related to cc11) was identified. Interestingly, two versions of IMSAR-11, circular and chromosomally integrated, were found. Overall, this study reinforces the importance of the genomic characterization of circulating N. meningitidis lineages to generate new targets for lineage monitoring, diagnosis, or appropriateness of vaccine development. Further studies are necessary to understand the role of these prophages in the persistence, dispersal, and virulence of N. meningitidis in the world. Full article
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13 pages, 956 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Dried Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Filter Paper Spots for Storing and Transporting Clinical Material for the Molecular Diagnosis of Invasive Meningococcal Disease
by Brenda A. Kwambana-Adams, Stephen A. Clark, Nicole Tay, Schadrac Agbla, Chrispin Chaguza, Eunice W. Kagucia, Ray Borrow and Robert S. Heyderman
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11879; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911879 - 6 Oct 2022
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Abstract
To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated the performance of dried blood spot (DBS) and dried cerebrospinal fluid spot (DCS) assays. DBS and DCS were prepared on [...] Read more.
To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated the performance of dried blood spot (DBS) and dried cerebrospinal fluid spot (DCS) assays. DBS and DCS were prepared on filter paper from liquid specimens previously tested for Nm in the United Kingdom. Nm was detected and genogrouped by real-time PCR performed on crude genomic DNA extracted from the DBS (n = 226) and DCS (n = 226) specimens. Targeted whole-genome sequencing was performed on a subset of specimens, DBS (n = 4) and DCS (n = 6). The overall agreement between the analysis of liquid and dried specimens was (94.2%; 95% CI 90.8–96.7) for blood and (96.4%; 95% CI 93.5–98.0) for cerebrospinal fluid. Relative to liquid specimens as the reference, the DBS and DCS assays had sensitivities of (89.1%; 95% CI 82.7–93.8) and (94.2%; 95% CI 88.9–97.5), respectively, and both assays had specificities above 98%. A genogroup was identified by dried specimen analysis for 81.9% of the confirmed meningococcal infections. Near full-length Nm genome sequences (>86%) were obtained for all ten specimens tested which allowed determination of the sequence type, clonal complex, presence of antimicrobial resistance and other meningococcal genotyping. Dried blood and CSF filter spot assays offer a practical alternative to liquid specimens for the molecular and genomic characterisation of invasive meningococcal diseases in low-resource settings. Full article
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