Meningococcal infection in England and Wales: 1999–2001

Kaczmarski, E.B.; Gray, Steve; Guiver, Malcolm; Borrow, Raymond; Mallard, Richard H.; Miller, Elizabeth; Me, Ramsay

doi:10.1016/s0163-4453(02)90357-9

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…In England and Wales in 1995, serogroups B and C accounted for 95.2% of meningococcal infections while 3.5% of infections were due to Y and W135 [9]. However, during 1989^1995, active laboratory-based surveillance conducted in a number of counties in the USA showed the proportion of serogroup Y meningococcal disease had increased dramatically from 0% in 1989 to 32.5% in 1995 at a time when the overall incidence of meningococcal disease remained stable [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In England and Wales, meningococcal case and carrier isolates are submitted to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) Meningococcal Reference Unit (MRU), where they are phenotypically classi¢ed by serogroup, serotype and serosubtype [9]. The O-acetylation status of serogroup Y and W135 isolates has, to date, not been investigated and isolates received by the PHLS MRU in 1996, 2000 and 2001 were examined to determine O-acetyl status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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O-Acetylation status of the capsular polysaccharides of serogroup Y and W135 meningococci isolated in the UK

Longworth

2002

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology

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At a time when tetravalent conjugate vaccines for meningococcal serogroups A/C/Y/W135 are being formulated the O-acetylation status of their respective capsular polysaccharides has not previously been studied in the UK for all components. Although this has been elucidated for serogroup C, little is known about the O-acetylation status of serogroups W135 and Y. Meningococcal serogroup W135 (n=181) and Y (n=90) isolates submitted to the PHLS Meningococcal Reference Unit in 1996, 2000 and 2001 were investigated for O-acetylation capsular status by dot blot assay. Eight per cent of W135 and 79% of Y isolates respectively were found to be O-acetylated with a similar distribution found in both carrier and case isolates. An increase in O-acetylated W135 isolates was noted between 2000 (0%) and 2001 (21%) which was not due to the introduction of the Hajj associated W135 (ET 37 complex; serosubtype P1.5,2) isolates, all of which were de-O-acetylated. Although the biological relevance of O-acetylation status is unknown for these serogroups, an understanding of O-acetylation status of the respective polysaccharides may provide useful insights into the optimal vaccine formulation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

O-Acetylation status of the capsular polysaccharides of serogroup Y and W135 meningococci isolated in the UK

Longworth

2002

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology

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“…In England and Wales, as in many temperate countries, the age-specific incidence of meningococcal disease is highest among infants between the ages of 3 and 12 months (15). Until recently in England and Wales, serogroup B strains accounted for over 50% of cases, and serogroup C strains accounted for 30% (16). However, since the introduction of the conjugated meningococcal serogroup C vaccine into the United Kingdom in late 1999, cases of serogroup C disease have fallen by about 75% in the first age groups targeted to receive this vaccine (22,24).…”

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confidence: 99%

Neisseria lactamica Protects against Experimental Meningococcal Infection

et al. 2002

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Immunological and epidemiological evidence suggests that the development of natural immunity to meningococcal disease results from colonization of the nasopharynx by commensal Neisseria spp., particularly with N. lactamica. We report here that immunization with N. lactamica killed whole cells, outer membrane vesicles, or outer membrane protein (OMP) pools and protected mice against lethal challenge by a number of diverse serogroup B and C meningococcal isolates in a model of bacteremic infection. Sera raised to N. lactamica killed whole cells, OMPs, or protein pools were found to cross-react with meningococcal isolates of a diverse range of genotypes and phenotypes. The results confirm the potential of N. lactamica to form the basis of a vaccine against meningococcal disease.

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“…There has been an increase in the proportion of group C strains in England and Wales, and older children and young adults have been at particular risk (8). Outbreaks of Neisseria meningitidis group C disease have occurred recently in British universities, prompting the widespread use of meningococcal PS vaccines for first-year students in 1999.…”

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confidence: 99%

Primary and Booster Mucosal Immune Responses to Meningococcal Group A and C Conjugate and Polysaccharide Vaccines Administered to University Students in the United Kingdom

et al. 2001

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Meningococcal group A؉C capsular polysaccharide (PS) conjugate vaccines may prime for serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) memory responses to meningococcal capsular PS. It is not known whether these vaccines induce immunological memory at the mucosal level, which may be important in reducing nasopharyngeal carriage. Mucosal immune responses to meningococcal conjugate and PS vaccines in young adults were investigated. Healthy university students were randomized to receive either a groups A؉C meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MACconj, n ‫؍‬ 100) or a group A؉C meningococcal PS vaccine (MACPS, n ‫؍‬ 95). One year after the primary immunization, both groups were randomized again to receive a MACconj or a MACPS booster vaccination. Saliva samples were collected before and 1 month after the primary and booster vaccinations. Anti-meningococcal A (MenA) and C (MenC) PS IgA and IgG antibody levels were measured by a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After the primary vaccination, salivary MenA and MenC IgG and MenA IgA concentrations were significantly increased after immunization with both MACconj and MACPS vaccines, but the salivary Men C IgA level was increased only after MACPS vaccine (P < 0.01). IgA responses to both serogroups were greater for MACPS than MACconj vaccine (P < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were seen for IgG responses. MenA IgG titers were higher after the MACPS booster in MACconj-primed subjects than after the MACPS primary vaccination, suggesting the presence of IgG memory. Antibody responses to a dose of either MACPS or MACconj were not significantly reduced in those previously given MACPS compared to the primary responses to those vaccines. Meningococcal A؉C conjugate and PS vaccines induce significant mucosal responses in young adults. MACconj priming may induce IgG memory at the mucosal level, which is likely to be a reflection of an anamnestic serum IgG response. No evidence of mucosal hyporesponsiveness was observed after MACPS priming in this study.Parenteral immunisation with meningococcus group C polysaccharide (PS) vaccine may induce local immunity in the nasopharynx against meningococci, since a significantly lower percentage of vaccinated military recruits became carriers of group C meningococci than did unvaccinated controls (6). The local immunity induced was specific for meningococcus group C. We and others have shown that upper respiratory tract mucosal antibodies are produced following meningococcus PS vaccination (20, 26), which could play an important role in preventing immunized individuals becoming carriers. We also observed that the levels of these antibodies declined rapidly to near-prevaccination levels after 6 to 12 months, raising the possibility that protection could be short-term (26). However, if vaccines induce immunological memory at the mucosal level, long-term protection could be achieved. The widespread use of such vaccines would not only protect immunized individuals against invasive disease but also potentially interrupt the chain of transmission, th...

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Meningococcal infection in England and Wales: 1999–2001

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

O-Acetylation status of the capsular polysaccharides of serogroup Y and W135 meningococci isolated in the UK

O-Acetylation status of the capsular polysaccharides of serogroup Y and W135 meningococci isolated in the UK

Neisseria lactamica Protects against Experimental Meningococcal Infection

Primary and Booster Mucosal Immune Responses to Meningococcal Group A and C Conjugate and Polysaccharide Vaccines Administered to University Students in the United Kingdom

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