Abstract

GARCIA GABARROT, Gabriela; PEREZ GIFFONI, Gabriel  and  CAMOU, Teresa. Epidemiología molecular de Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo C (1993-2006). Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2008, vol.79, n.2, pp.113-119. ISSN 0004-0584.

In the early 1990s, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C had an increasing prevalence in Uruguay. Two outbreaks occurred in Rivera (1993) and in Paysandú (1994), which were followed by a raise in the total number of cases all over the country, reaching an incidence of 6/100,000 inhabitants. This motivated in 1996 a mass immunization with A-C polysaccharidic vaccine. The vaccine success was reflected in a substantial decrease in the incidence rate of meningitis caused by serogroup C. In 1990 an outbreak was also reported in the state San Pablo, Brazil. Meanwhile during 1995 in Argentina, a substitution of serogroup B by the serogroup C was observed. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and describe the molecular epidemiology of a collection of 123 N. meningitidis serogroup C isolates (1993-2006), including the ones in the outbreaks mentioned and others from sporadic cases. Two strains isolated in Argentina in 1995, and one prototype strain of the Brazilian outbreak were also studied. Analysis on susceptibility to penicillin, serotyping and serosubtyping by Dot Blot, and molecular characterization by Box-PCR and PFGE was undertaken. The strains isolated during the Rivera outbreak, were 2b:P1.6, all of them penicillin susceptible. They shared the same electrophoretic profile with the San Pablo outbreak strain, which was mainly not found beyond the next year. Another profile was observed in the isolates from the Paysandú outbreak, the sporadic cases and the isolates from Argentina. These isolates were mostly 2b:P1.5 and showed reduced susceptibility to penicillin. This profile persisted in the following years, although with decreased frequency.

Keywords : NEISSERIA MENIGITIDIS, SEROGROUP C;  MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL;  EPIDEMIOLOGY, MOLECULAR.

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