High prevalence of Neisseria meningitidis hypervirulent lineages and emergence of W135:P1.5,2:ST-11 clone in Southern Brazil

Invasive serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW) in Ontario, Canada shows potential clonal replacement during the period January 1, 2009 – June 30, 2016

“…Subsequent sporadic cases were thought to be due to pilgrims returning from the Hajj and transmitting the infection to their close contacts, as have been reported in Europe (15). This clone has since spread to sub-Saharan Africa (16) and South America (17,18). However, beginning in 2010, several countries have reported an increase in IMD due to ST-11 MenW (19)(20)(21)(22).…”

The Global Meningococcal Initiative: global epidemiology, the impact of vaccines on meningococcal disease and the importance of herd protection

“…However, some other recent MenW outbreaks (such as seen in Brazil, Portugal [85,86], Sweden [87], and Taiwan [2014 meeting of the GMI, manuscript submitted] [41]) have been due to other ST-11 variants. Although the hypervirulent clone W:2a:P1.5,2:ST-11 emerged 10 years ago in Brazil [88], incidence rates have become far higher in Argentina and Chile. In Chile, for example, the MenW incidence rate had risen to >0.5/100,000 by 2014, compared with <0.1/100,000 in 2010 (data from the ISPCH, Laboratorio de Agentes de Meningitis Bacteriana, Santiago, Chile); by 2012, 58% of MD was MenW [89].…”

Increase in Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W invasive disease in Canada: 2009–2016

“…With pilgrims returning to their countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, this strain was disseminated globally. The gradual increase in MenW disease in recent years was first reported in sub-Saharan Africa (9) and South America (10,11). Since 2010, other countries have reported an increase in IMD caused by .…”