Differences in the population structure of Neisseria meningitidis in two Australian states: Victoria and Western Australia

Shakeel Mowlaboccus; Christopher A Mullally; Peter C Richmond; Benjamin P Howden; Kerrie Stevens; David J Speers; Anthony D Keil; Ottar N Bjørnstad; Timothy T Perkins; Charlene M Kahler

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0186839

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Differences in the population structure of Neisseria meningitidis in two Australian states: Victoria and Western Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Differences in the population structure of Neisseria meningitidis in two Australian states: Victoria and Western Australia

Shakeel Mowlaboccus, Christopher A Mullally, Peter C Richmond, Benjamin P Howden, Kerrie Stevens, David J Speers, Anthony D Keil, Ottar N Bjørnstad, Timothy T Perkins and Charlene M Kahler

PloS one, Vol.12(10), e0186839

2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186839

PMCID: PMC5655437

PMID: 29065137

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Abstract

Antigens, Bacterial - immunology

Genes, Bacterial

Humans

Neisseria meningitidis - classification

Neisseria meningitidis - genetics

Neisseria meningitidis - immunology

Victoria

Western Australia

Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). A recombinant vaccine called Bexsero® incorporates four subcapsular antigens (fHbp, NHBA, NadA and PorA) which are used to assign a Bexsero® antigen sequence type (BAST) to each meningococcal strain. The vaccine elicits an immune response against combinations of variants of these antigens which have been grouped into specific BAST profiles that have been shown to have different distributions within geographical locations thus potentially affecting the efficacy of the vaccine. In this study, invasive meningococcal disease isolates from the western seaboard of Australia (Western Australia; WA) were compared to those from the south-eastern seaboard (Victoria; VIC) from 2008 to 2012. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 131 meningococci from VIC and 70 meningococci from WA were analysed for MLST, FetA and BAST profiling. Serogroup B predominated in both jurisdictions and a total of 10 MLST clonal complexes (cc) were shared by both states. Isolates belonging to cc22, cc103 and cc1157 were unique to VIC whilst isolates from cc60 and cc212 were unique to WA. Clonal complex 41/44 represented one-third of the meningococcal population in each state but the predominant ST was locally different: ST-6058 in VIC and ST-146 in WA. Of the 108 BAST profiles identified in this collection, only 9 BASTs were simultaneously observed in both states. A significantly larger proportion of isolates in VIC harboured alleles for the NHBA-2 peptide and fHbp-1, antigenic variants predicted to be covered by the Bexsero® vaccine. The estimate for vaccine coverage in WA (47.1% [95% CI: 41.1-53.1%]) was significantly lower than that in VIC (66.4% [95% CI: 62.3-70.5%]). In conclusion, the antigenic structure of meningococci causing invasive disease in two geographically distinct states of Australia differed significantly during the study period which may affect vaccine effectiveness and highlights the need for representative surveillance when predicting potential impact of meningococcal B vaccines.

Details

Title: Differences in the population structure of Neisseria meningitidis in two Australian states: Victoria and Western Australia
Authors/Creators: Shakeel Mowlaboccus - The University of Western Australia
Christopher A Mullally - Marshall Center for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Peter C Richmond - The University of Western Australia
Benjamin P Howden - The University of Melbourne
Kerrie Stevens - The University of Melbourne
David J Speers - Pathwest Laboratory Medicine
Anthony D Keil - Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
Ottar N Bjørnstad - Pennsylvania State University
Timothy T Perkins - Marshall Center for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Charlene M Kahler - The University of Western Australia
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.12(10), e0186839
Publisher: Public Library of Science
Identifiers: 991005578644007891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Biosecurity and One Health; School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.23 Antibiotics & Antimicrobials; 1.23.714 Neisseria/Haemophilus
Web Of Science research areas: Immunology
ESI research areas: Immunology