Santos DRDS, Bianco K, Clementino MBM, Dávila AMR, de Filippis I. Characterisation of Neisseria meningitidis cc11/ET-15 variant by whole genome sequencing.
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022;
117:e220118. [PMID:
36228280 PMCID:
PMC9543360 DOI:
10.1590/0074-02760220118]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to clonal complex 11 is the cause of numerous outbreaks and epidemics in the United States, Canada and Europe, accounting for 49.5% of cases of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup C worldwide. In Brazil, it is the second most frequent clonal complex within this serogroup. The genetic characterisation of cc11/ET-15 variants is important for the epidemiological monitoring of meningococcal disease, through the identification of circulating epidemic clones, to support specific actions of Health Surveillance aiming outbreaks control.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to identify features in the genome of cc11/ET-15 clones through whole-genome sequencing (WGS), that differ from cc11/non-ET-15 strains that could explain their virulence.
METHODS
The whole genome of three cc11/ET-15 representative strains were sequenced with a minimum coverage of 100X with the MiSeq System and compared to the genome of cc11/non-ET-15 strains.
RESULTS
Genome analysis of cc11/ET-15 variants showed the presence of resistance factors, mobile genetic elements and virulence factors not found in cc11/non-ET-15 strains.
MAIN CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that these strains carry virulence factors not identified in cc11/non-ET-15 strains, which could explain the high lethality rates attributed to this clone worldwide.
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