Abstract
Meningococcal disease (MD) in Western Australia prior to 1987 was caused by endemic, predominantly serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains. In 1987/S3 an epidemic of serogroup A MD occurred in remote outback Aboriginal communities in Western Australia. Comparable epidemiologic features of this epidemic with overseas epidemics suggested spread of a single clone of serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis . DNA analysis of serogroup A strains isolated from MD cases admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in 1987/88 was undertaken. Chromosomal DNA extraction and restriction endonuclease profiles obtained with EcoRI and Hind III demonstrate that these serogroup A strains are clonal. This indicates that the molecular epidemiology of epidemic serogroup A MD in Western Australia is similar to recent experience in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia, where spread of single closely related clones has been iesponsible for pandemic waves of MD in the past decade.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
