Community and Vaccine-Preventable Invasive Bacterial Pathogens
Determining the transmission dynamics of MenW Neisseria meningitidis in Australia
Project Summary
Invasive meningococcal disease is a potentially devastating infection in humans, and is nationally notifiable. There are a number of serotypes of N. meningitidis, with serotypes B and C the most common in Australia. Recently, increasing numbers of cases caused by serotype W (MenW) have been identified in Australia, especially in Victoria.
Increases in MenW disease have been noted internationally (most recently in the UK and South America) and have resulted in changes in prevention strategies. A critical question is whether cases of MenW disease in Australia have been imported, or have resulted from local transmission.
This project therefore aims to use whole genome sequencing to determine the potential transmission dynamics of MenW within Australia.
Project Partners
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Victoria, Australia
National Neisseria Network (NNN), Australia
Victorian infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL), Victoria, Australia
Publications
Mowlaboccus S, Mullally CA, Richmond PC, Howden BP, Stevens K, Speers DJ, Keil AD, Bjornstad ON, Perkins TT, Kahler CM. PloS One. 2017;12(10):e0186839.
Rise in invasive serogroup W meningococcal disease in Australia 2013-2015
Martin NV, Ong KS, Howden BP, Lahra MM, Lambert SB, Beard FH, Dowse GK, Saul N. Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report. 2016;40(4):E454-e9.
Rising incidence of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W in Victoria
Bond KA, Stevens K, Bulach D, Carville K, Ong KS, Howden BP. The Medical Journal of Australia. 2016;204(7):265-6.
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