BackgroundThe total incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Europe has been declining in recent years; however, a rising incidence due to serogroup W (MenW), predominantly sequence type 11 (ST-11), clonal complex 11 (cc11), was reported in some European countries.AimThe aim of this study was to compile the most recent laboratory surveillance data on MenW IMD from several European countries to assess recent trends in Europe.MethodsIn this observational, retrospective study, IMD surveillance data collected from 2013-17 by national reference laboratories and surveillance units from 13 European countries were analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultsThe overall incidence of IMD has been stable during the study period. Incidence of MenW IMD per 100,000 population (2013: 0.03; 2014: 0.05; 2015: 0.08; 2016: 0.11; 2017: 0.11) and the proportion of this serogroup among all invasive cases (2013: 5% (116/2,216); 2014: 9% (161/1,761); 2015: 13% (271/2,074); 2016: 17% (388/2,222); 2017: 19% (393/2,112)) continuously increased. The most affected countries were England, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. MenW was more frequent in older age groups (≥ 45 years), while the proportion in children (< 15 years) was lower than in other age groups. Of the culture-confirmed MenW IMD cases, 80% (615/767) were caused by hypervirulent cc11.ConclusionDuring the years 2013-17, an increase in MenW IMD, mainly caused by MenW cc11, was observed in the majority of European countries. Given the unpredictable nature of meningococcal spread and the epidemiological potential of cc11, European countries may consider preventive strategies adapted to their contexts.

• Klíčová slova
• Europe, Neisseria menigitidis, airborne infections, bacterial infections, epidemiology, meningococcal disease, serogroup W, surveillance,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• meningokokové infekce diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• multilokusová sekvenční typizace MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroskupina MeSH
• surveillance populace metody   MeSH
• věkové rozložení MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• pozorovací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa epidemiologie   MeSH

Bivalent rLP2086 (Trumenba), a vaccine for prevention of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) disease, was licensed for use in adolescents and young adults after it was demonstrated that it elicits antibodies that initiate complement-mediated killing of invasive NmB isolates in a serum bactericidal assay with human complement (hSBA). The vaccine consists of two factor H binding proteins (fHBPs) representing divergent subfamilies to ensure broad coverage. Although it is the surrogate of efficacy, an hSBA is not suitable for testing large numbers of strains in local laboratories. Previously, an association between the in vitro fHBP surface expression level and the susceptibility of NmB isolates to killing was observed. Therefore, a flow cytometric meningococcal antigen surface expression (MEASURE) assay was developed and validated by using an antibody that binds to all fHBP variants from both fHBP subfamilies and accurately quantitates the level of fHBP expressed on the cell surface of NmB isolates with mean fluorescence intensity as the readout. Two collections of invasive NmB isolates (n = 1,814, n = 109) were evaluated in the assay, with the smaller set also tested in hSBAs using individual and pooled human serum samples from young adults vaccinated with bivalent rLP2086. From these data, an analysis based on fHBP variant prevalence in the larger 1,814-isolate set showed that >91% of all meningococcal serogroup B isolates expressed sufficient levels of fHBP to be susceptible to bactericidal killing by vaccine-induced antibodies.IMPORTANCE Bivalent rLP2086 (Trumenba) vaccine, composed of two factor H binding proteins (fHBPs), was recently licensed for the prevention of N. meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) disease in individuals 10 to 25 years old in the United States. This study evaluated a large collection of NmB isolates from the United States and Europe by using a flow cytometric MEASURE assay to quantitate the surface expression of the vaccine antigen fHBP. We find that expression levels and the proportion of strains above the level associated with susceptibility in an hSBA are generally consistent across these geographic regions. Thus, the assay can be used to predict which NmB isolates are susceptible to killing in the hSBA and therefore is able to demonstrate an fHBP vaccine-induced bactericidal response. This work significantly advances our understanding of the potential for bivalent rLP2086 to provide broad coverage against diverse invasive-disease-causing NmB isolates.

• Klíčová slova
• Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, factor H binding protein, flow cytometry, meningococcal antigen surface expression (MEASURE) assay, vaccine,
• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• antigeny bakteriální analýza   MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny analýza   MeSH
• baktericidní aktivita krve MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• meningokokové vakcíny imunologie   MeSH
• mikrobiální viabilita účinky léků   MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis séroskupiny B chemie   účinky léků   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• protilátky bakteriální farmakologie   MeSH
• průtoková cytometrie metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• antigeny bakteriální MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny MeSH
• factor H-binding protein, Neisseria meningitidis MeSH Prohlížeč
• meningokokové vakcíny MeSH
• protilátky bakteriální MeSH