Abstract
Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to sequence type 4821 clonal complex (CC4821), a hyperinvasive lineage first identified for serogroup C in 2003, have been increasingly isolated in China. We characterized the outer membrane protein genes of 48 serogroup B and 214 serogroup C strains belonging to CC4821 and analyzed the genomic sequences of 22 strains. Four serogroup B strains had porin A (i.e., PorA), PorB, and ferric enterobactin transport (i.e., FetA) genotypes identical to those for serogroup C. Phylogenetic analysis of the genomic sequences showed that the 22 CC4821 strains from patients and healthy carriers were unevenly clustered into 2 closely related groups; each group contained serogroup B and C strains. Serogroup B strains appeared variable at the capsule locus, and several recombination events had occurred at uncertain breakpoints. These findings suggest that CC4821 serogroup C N. meningitidis is the probable origin of highly pathogenic CC4821 serogroup B strains.
Highlights
Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to sequence type 4821 clonal complex (CC4821), a hyperinvasive lineage first identified for serogroup C in 2003, have been increasingly isolated in China
To elucidate the relationship between them, we investigated the epidemiology of CC4821 serogroup B strains, characterized the outer membrane protein (OMP) genes of these strains, and analyzed the genome sequences and capsule locus sequences of specific strains
During March 2005– March 2013, N. meningitidis strains belonging to CC4821 serogroup B were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid or blood samples of meningococcal patients in 10 provinces and from pharyngeal swab specimens from healthy carriers in 9 other provinces in China
Summary
Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to sequence type 4821 clonal complex (CC4821), a hyperinvasive lineage first identified for serogroup C in 2003, have been increasingly isolated in China. During 2005–2010, subsequent to the time when serogroup C and A N. meningitidis infections had been prevalent, cases caused by serogroup W strains belonging to CC11 began increasing in China [24,25]. In addition to these 3 serogroups, serogroup B strains have been isolated from patients and healthy carriers. To elucidate the relationship between them, we investigated the epidemiology of CC4821 serogroup B strains, characterized the outer membrane protein (OMP) genes of these strains, and analyzed the genome sequences and capsule locus sequences of specific strains
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