Limited impact of adolescent meningococcal ACWY vaccination on Neisseria meningitides serogroup W carriage in university students

Oldfield, Neil J.; Green, Luke R.; Parkhill, Julian; Bayliss, Christopher D.; Turner, David P.J.

Abstract

Background

In the UK rising disease levels due to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W clonal complex ST-11 (MenW:cc11) strains led to introduction of conjugate MenACWY vaccination for teenagers. We investigated the impact of immunization on carriage of targeted meningococci by whole genome sequencing of isolates recovered from a cohort of vaccinated university students.

Methods

Strain designation data were extracted from whole genome sequence data. Genomes from carried and invasive MenW:cc11 were compared using a gene-by-gene approach. Serogrouping identified isolates expressing capsule antigens targeted by the vaccine.

Results

Isolates with a W: P1.5,2: F1-1: ST-11 (cc11) designation, and belonging to the emerging ‘2013-strain’ of the South American-UK MenW:cc11 sub-lineage, were responsible for an increase in carried group W. A multifocal expansion was evident with close transmission networks extending beyond individual dormitories. Carried group Y isolates were predominantly from clonal complex 23, but showed significant heterogeneity and individual strain designations were only sporadically recovered. No shifts towards acapsulate phenotypes were detected in targeted meningococcal populations.

Conclusions

In a setting with high levels of conjugate MenACWY vaccination, expansion of capsule-expressing isolates from the 2013-strain of MenW:cc11, but not MenY:cc23 isolates, is indicative of differential susceptibilities to vaccine-induced immunity.

Citation

Oldfield, N. J., Green, L. R., Parkhill, J., Bayliss, C. D., & Turner, D. P. (2018). Limited impact of adolescent meningococcal ACWY vaccination on Neisseria meningitides serogroup W carriage in university students. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 217(4), 608-616. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix596

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 10, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Nov 15, 2017
• Publication Date: Jan 30, 2018
• Deposit Date: Nov 15, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 16, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Print ISSN: 0022-1899
• Electronic ISSN: 1537-6613
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 217
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 608-616
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix596
• Keywords: Neisseria meningitidis; Whole genome sequencing; Carriage; Serogroup W; Serogroup Y; Epidemiology; Vaccine
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/908171
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/4633891
• Additional Information: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Infectious Diseases following peer review. The version of record Neil J Oldfield, Luke R Green, Julian Parkhill, Christopher D Bayliss, David P J Turner; Limited Impact of Adolescent Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination on Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W Carriage in University Students, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 217, Issue 4, 30 January 2018, Pages 608–616 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix596