A group of 75 strains of Neisseria meningitidis isolated from patients with meningococcal meningitis in the Czech Republic during 1980-1988 was characterized by assessment of serogroups, serotypes, serosubtypes and genotypes. Twelve strains belonged into serogroup A, 27 into serogroup B and 36 into serogroup C. The most frequently found serotype was 4, subserotype P1.2. The authors identified 48 different enzyme genotypes among which four genetically related groups were assessed. Strains of Neisseria meningitidis of the same genotype were found more frequently during the period of 1980-1984, when a rise of meningococcal meningitis in the Czech Republic was recorded. During this period 73% of the strains belonged into three genetically related groups, while during the subsequent period (1985-1988) these genetically related groups comprised only 47% of the strains. Only one strain of Neisseria meningitidis (878/85) represented a genetic clone ET-5 complex responsible for an epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in western European countries from the mid-seventies.

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