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Central European Journal of Public... Dec 2021In July 2018, vaccine against meningococcal B infection in Lithuania was added to the national vaccination calendar. However, vaccination rates were low. The aim of the...
OBJECTIVES
In July 2018, vaccine against meningococcal B infection in Lithuania was added to the national vaccination calendar. However, vaccination rates were low. The aim of the study was to identify parents' attitudes towards meningococcal disease and vaccination.
METHODS
In the period from February to March 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted; 483 parents of children aged up to 2 years participated. In the validated questionnaire respondents provided data on their gender, education, age and answered questions that helped to estimate knowledge and attitudes towards meningococcal disease and vaccination.
RESULTS
Parents with higher education are more likely to believe that meningococcal infection can be prevented; 316 (65.4%) parents are concerned that their child is at high risk of infection and evaluated the level of anxiety M = 7.39, SD = 2.29 out of 10 points; 309 (64.0%) believe that the vaccine is effective (M = 8.41; SD = 1.15 out of 10 points). One third of parents will not vaccinate their children because they believe that the MenB vaccine is not safe (71.2%); 370 (76.6%) have heard negative information about this vaccine, the majority (83.2%) from the Internet. The negative information received is positively correlated with the belief that the vaccine is not effective (r = 0.18, p = 0.031) and not safe (r = 0.35, p < 0.001); 49.3% of parents report side effects after vaccination; 326 (67.5%) parents believe that they need more evidence-based information on MenB vaccination and 90.8% would like to get it from a healthcare professional.
CONCLUSIONS
Due to high level of mistrust of vaccines and the lack of evidence-based information, parents decide not to vaccinate their children against meningococcal B infection. There is a great need for parents' education and the dissemination of evidence-based information among them.
Topics: Child; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Lithuania; Meningococcal Infections; Parents; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaccination
PubMed: 35026063
DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a6206 -
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology Jul 2010In this work, we report the genetic basis of C7 deficiency in two different Spanish families. In family 1, by using exon-specific polymerase chain reaction and...
In this work, we report the genetic basis of C7 deficiency in two different Spanish families. In family 1, by using exon-specific polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, a recently described mutation was found in homozygosity in the patient; a single base change in exon 15 (C2107T) leading to a stop codon that causes truncation of the C-terminal portion of C7 (Q681X). Patient's father, mother and sister were heterozygous for this mutation. Interestingly, patient's parents were not related. In family 2, a new single base mutation in exon 2 (G90A), leading to a stop codon that causes the premature truncation of C7 (W8X), was found in the patient, mother and sister 1. Additionally, patient 2, her father and sisters, displayed a missense mutation in exon 9 (G1135C) resulting in a change of aminoacid (G357R). Although sister 1 bore the same mutations in the C7 gene that patient 2, she remains asymptomatic. Because both mutations were found in the patient and her sister, we analyse other defence mechanisms such as FcgammaR polymorphisms as well as mannose-binding lectin alleles (MBL2 gene) and MBL levels. Results showed that both siblings bore identical combinations of FcgammaR allotypes and different MBL2 alleles, exhibiting patient 2 a MBL-insufficient genotype. Normal MBL levels were found in patient 1 and in two previously studied C7-deficient siblings, suggesting the involvement of other mechanisms of immunity distinct of FcgammaR variants and the MBL pathway, for the absence of meningococcal recurrent infections in certain C7-deficient individuals.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Complement C7; DNA; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Variation; Humans; Male; Mannose-Binding Lectin; Meningococcal Infections; Molecular Sequence Data; Neisseria meningitidis; Pedigree; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Receptors, IgG; Spain
PubMed: 20591074
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2010.02403.x -
European Journal of Clinical... Oct 2020Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a vaccine-preventable devastating infection that mainly affects infants, children and adolescents. We describe the population...
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a vaccine-preventable devastating infection that mainly affects infants, children and adolescents. We describe the population epidemiology of IMD in Malta in order to assess the potential utility of a meningococcal vaccination programme. All cases of microbiologically confirmed IMD in the Maltese population from 2000 to 2017 were analysed to quantify the overall and capsular-specific disease burden. Mean overall crude and age-specific meningococcal incidence rates were calculated to identify the target age groups that would benefit from vaccination. Over the 18-year study period, 111 out of the 245 eligible notified cases were confirmed microbiologically of which 70.3% had septicaemia, 21.6% had meningitis, and 6.3% had both. The mean overall crude incidence rate was 1.49/100,000 population with an overall case fatality rate of 12.6%. Meningococcal capsular groups (Men) B followed by C were the most prevalent with W and Y appearing over the last 6 years. Infants had the highest meningococcal incidence rate of 18.9/100,000 followed by 6.1/100,000 in 1-5 year olds and 3.6/100,000 in 11-15 year old adolescents. The introduction of MenACWY and MenB vaccines on the national immunization schedule in Malta would be expected to reduce the disease burden of meningococcal disease in children and adolescents in Malta.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Malta; Meningococcal Infections; Middle Aged; Sepsis; Vaccination; Young Adult
PubMed: 32418063
DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03914-8 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Sep 2006
Review
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Hospitalization; Humans; Meningococcal Infections; Patient Education as Topic; Physical Examination; Prognosis; Respiration, Artificial
PubMed: 17008668
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38968.683958.AE -
Epidemiology and Infection Feb 2023The bacterium causes life-threatening disease worldwide, typically with a clinical presentation of sepsis or meningitis, but can be carried asymptomatically as part of...
The bacterium causes life-threatening disease worldwide, typically with a clinical presentation of sepsis or meningitis, but can be carried asymptomatically as part of the normal human oropharyngeal microbiota. The aim of this study was to examine carriage with regard to prevalence, risk factors for carriage, distribution of meningococcal lineages and persistence of meningococcal carriage. Throat samples and data from a self-reported questionnaire were obtained from 2744 university students (median age: 23 years) at a university in Sweden on four occasions during a 12-month period. Meningococcal isolates were characterised using whole-genome sequencing. The carriage rate among the students was 9.1% (319/3488; 95% CI 8.2-10.1). Factors associated with higher carriage rate were age ≤22 years, previous tonsillectomy, cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol and attending parties, pubs and clubs. Female gender and sharing a household with children aged 0-9 years were associated with lower carriage. The most frequent genogroups were capsule null locus (), group B and group Y and the most commonly identified clonal complexes (cc) were cc198 and cc23. Persistent carriage with the same meningococcal strain for 12 months was observed in two students. Follow-up times exceeding 12 months are recommended for future studies investigating long-term carriage of .
Topics: Child; Humans; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Neisseria meningitidis; Sweden; Meningococcal Infections; Universities; Prevalence; Carrier State; Students
PubMed: 36775828
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268823000018 -
MEDICC Review Oct 2019Every year, meningococcal infection by Neisseria meningitidis causes over 500,000 cases and 85,000 deaths in the world, with 20% of survivors suffering sequelae. In Cuba...
Every year, meningococcal infection by Neisseria meningitidis causes over 500,000 cases and 85,000 deaths in the world, with 20% of survivors suffering sequelae. In Cuba its incidence in 1980 reached 5.9 cases per 100,000 population; about 80% of cases were serogroup B, prompting health authorities to declare meningococcal disease the country's main public health problem. Several provinces reported over 120 cases per 100,000 children aged < 1 year, overwhelmingly serogroup B. At that time, no vaccines existed with proven efficacy against N. meningitidis serogroup B, nor was there a vaccine candidate that could be successful in the short term. By 1989, researchers in Havana had developed a Cuban meningococcal B and C vaccine, VA-MENGOC-BC, the world's first against serogroup B meningococcal disease. Its efficacy of 83% was demonstrated in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled field study. Vaccine production used vesicle or proteoliposome technology for the first time. The same year, the World Intellectual Property Organization awarded its gold medal to the main authors of the VA-MENGOC-BC patent. The vaccine was used in a mass vaccination campaign and later included in Cuba's National Immunization Program, with a cumulative impact on incidence of serogroup B meningococcal disease greater than 95% (93%-98%). Mass, systematic vaccination shifted the spectrum of meningococcal strains in healthy asymptomatic carriers and strains circulating among population groups toward nonvirulent phenotypes. The disease ceased to be a public health problem in the country. VA-MENGOC-BC is the most widely applied vaccine against serogroup B meningococcal disease in the world. Over 60 million doses have been administered in Latin America. In several countries where it has been applied, in which strains other than the vaccine-targeted strains circulate, VA-MENGOC-BC has demonstrated effectiveness against all (55%-98% in children aged < = 4 years and 73%-100% in children aged > 4 years). The vaccine and its proteoliposome technology have had an impact and continue to have potential, not only for meningococcal disease, but also for development of other vaccines and adjuvants.KEYWORDS Neisseria meningitidis, meningococcal disease, meningo-coccal vaccine, biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry, bacterial menin-gitis, meningococcal meningitis, immunization, vaccination, Cuba.
Topics: Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; Adolescent; Child; Cuba; Drug Development; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Hypergammaglobulinemia; Meningococcal Infections; Meningococcal Vaccines
PubMed: 32335565
DOI: 10.37757/MR2019.V21.N4.4 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2022To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated...
Evaluation of Dried Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Filter Paper Spots for Storing and Transporting Clinical Material for the Molecular Diagnosis of Invasive Meningococcal Disease.
To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated the performance of dried blood spot (DBS) and dried cerebrospinal fluid spot (DCS) assays. DBS and DCS were prepared on filter paper from liquid specimens previously tested for Nm in the United Kingdom. Nm was detected and genogrouped by real-time PCR performed on crude genomic DNA extracted from the DBS (n = 226) and DCS (n = 226) specimens. Targeted whole-genome sequencing was performed on a subset of specimens, DBS (n = 4) and DCS (n = 6). The overall agreement between the analysis of liquid and dried specimens was (94.2%; 95% CI 90.8−96.7) for blood and (96.4%; 95% CI 93.5−98.0) for cerebrospinal fluid. Relative to liquid specimens as the reference, the DBS and DCS assays had sensitivities of (89.1%; 95% CI 82.7−93.8) and (94.2%; 95% CI 88.9−97.5), respectively, and both assays had specificities above 98%. A genogroup was identified by dried specimen analysis for 81.9% of the confirmed meningococcal infections. Near full-length Nm genome sequences (>86%) were obtained for all ten specimens tested which allowed determination of the sequence type, clonal complex, presence of antimicrobial resistance and other meningococcal genotyping. Dried blood and CSF filter spot assays offer a practical alternative to liquid specimens for the molecular and genomic characterisation of invasive meningococcal diseases in low-resource settings.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; DNA; Dried Blood Spot Testing; Humans; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis
PubMed: 36233182
DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911879 -
Clinical Science (London, England :... Feb 2010The human species is the only natural host of Neisseria meningitidis, an important cause of bacterial meningitis globally, and, despite its association with devastating... (Review)
Review
The human species is the only natural host of Neisseria meningitidis, an important cause of bacterial meningitis globally, and, despite its association with devastating diseases, N. meningitidis is a commensal organism found frequently in the respiratory tract of healthy individuals. To date, antibiotic resistance is relatively uncommon in N. meningitidis isolates but, due to the rapid onset of disease in susceptible hosts, the mortality rate remains approx. 10%. Additionally, patients who survive meningococcal disease often endure numerous debilitating sequelae. N. meningitidis strains are classified primarily into serogroups based on the type of polysaccharide capsule expressed. In total, 13 serogroups have been described; however, the majority of disease is caused by strains belonging to one of only five serogroups. Although vaccines have been developed against some of these, a universal meningococcal vaccine remains a challenge due to successful immune evasion strategies of the organism, including mimicry of host structures as well as frequent antigenic variation. N. meningitidis express a range of virulence factors including capsular polysaccharide, lipopolysaccharide and a number of surface-expressed adhesive proteins. Variation of these surface structures is necessary for meningococci to evade killing by host defence mechanisms. Nonetheless, adhesion to host cells and tissues needs to be maintained to enable colonization and ensure bacterial survival in the niche. The aims of the present review are to provide a brief outline of meningococcal carriage, disease and burden to society. With this background, we discuss several bacterial strategies that may enable its survival in the human respiratory tract during colonization and in the blood during infection. We also examine several known meningococcal adhesion mechanisms and conclude with a section on the potential processes that may operate in vivo as meningococci progress from the respiratory niche through the blood to reach the central nervous system.
Topics: Carrier State; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Meninges; Meningococcal Infections; Nasopharynx; Neisseria meningitidis; Virulence
PubMed: 20132098
DOI: 10.1042/CS20090513 -
International Journal of Infectious... Oct 2012
Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cellulitis; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis
PubMed: 22727693
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2012.04.014 -
Journal of Global Health Dec 2016is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia in children and young adults worldwide. The disease burden associated with infections has not been... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia in children and young adults worldwide. The disease burden associated with infections has not been systematically assessed in China. Therefore, we undertook this study to determine the burden of meningococcal disease in China.
METHOD
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles on incidence, carriage, seroprevalence and mortality rates in China by searching the Chinese BioMedical Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and PubMed for publications from January 2005 to Aug 2015.
RESULTS
In total, 50 articles were included in our analysis. The overall incidence of meningococcal disease and associated mortality were estimated to be 1.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91-3.37) per 100 000 persons per year and 0.33 (95% CI 0.12-0.86) per 100 000 persons per year, respectively. carriage rate among the healthy population was estimated to be 2.7% (95% CI 2.0-3.5%). Prevalence of antibodies against serogroup A and C were estimated to be 77.3% (95% CI 72.4%-81.6%) and 33.5% (95% CI 27.0%-40.8%), respectively. No studies were found for serogroup specific disease burden.
CONCLUSIONS
The overall incidence of meningococcal disease in China is low. The lower seroprevalence of serogroup C within the population suggests that it may pose a greater risk for meningococcal disease outbreak than serogroup A. The lack of data on serogroup disease burden by age groups suggests the implementation of laboratory based meningococcal surveillance systems are urgently needed in China.
Topics: Antibodies; China; Humans; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis; Serogroup
PubMed: 27909580
DOI: 10.7189/jogh.06.020409