Genomic Surveillance of a Globally Circulating Distinct Group W Clonal Complex 11 Meningococcal Variant, New Zealand, 2013-2018.

Zuyu Yang,Heather Davies,Xiaoyun Ren,Jill Sherwood,Timothy Wood,Liza Lopez,Audrey Tiong,Philip E Carter

doi:10.3201/eid2704.191716

Abstract

Genomic surveillance is an essential part of effective disease control, enabling identification of emerging and expanding strains and monitoring of subsequent interventions. Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze the genomic diversity of all Neisseria meningitidis isolates submitted to the New Zealand Meningococcal Reference Laboratory during 2013–2018. Of the 347 isolates submitted for whole-genome sequencing, we identified 68 sequence types belonging to 18 clonal complexes (CC). The predominant CC was CC41/44; next in predominance was CC11. Comparison of the 45 New Zealand group W CC11 isolates with worldwide representatives of group W CC11 isolates revealed that the original UK strain, the 2013 UK strain, and a distinctive variant (the 2015 strain) were causing invasive group W meningococcal disease in New Zealand. The 2015 strain also demonstrated increased resistance to penicillin and has been circulating in Canada and several countries in Europe, highlighting that close monitoring is needed to prevent future outbreaks around the world.

Highlights

Genomic surveillance is an essential part of effective disease control, enabling identification of emerging and expanding strains and monitoring of subsequent interventions
During 1991–2008, New Zealand experienced a prolonged epidemic of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD); most cases were caused by a single N. meningitidis group B strain (NZMenB), defined by PorA type P1.7–2,4 and belonging to CC41/44 [16,17]
Surveillance and Epidemiologic Analysis Meningococcal disease is a notifiable disease in New Zealand; all IMD cases are referred to the Meningococcal Reference Laboratory at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) for routine grouping using slide agglutination or PCR [21]

Summary

Introduction

Genomic surveillance is an essential part of effective disease control, enabling identification of emerging and expanding strains and monitoring of subsequent interventions. Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze the genomic diversity of all Neisseria meningitidis isolates submitted to the New Zealand Meningococcal Reference Laboratory during 2013–2018. Most meningococcal disease is caused by hyperinvasive lineages belonging to specific clonal complexes (CC) as defined by multilocus sequence. During 1991–2008, New Zealand experienced a prolonged epidemic of IMD; most cases were caused by a single N. meningitidis group B strain (NZMenB), defined by PorA type P1.7–2,4 and belonging to CC41/44 [16,17]. RESEARCH the genetic diversity associated with IMD after the epidemic, we used WGS to analyze 347 isolates collected during 2013–2018. We determined their clonal relationship and compared the genomes of the New Zealand W:CC11 isolates with global representatives of W:CC11 lineages

Methods

Results

Conclusion