Viable Neisseria meningitidis is commonly present in saliva in healthy young adults: Non-invasive sampling and enhanced sensitivity of detection in a follow-up carriage study in Portuguese students.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction and aims

Improved sensitivity and efficiency of detection and quantification of carriage of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) in young people is important for evaluation of the impact of vaccines upon transmission and associated population-wide effects. Saliva collection is quick, non-invasive and facilitates frequent sampling, but has been reported to yield low sensitivity by culture. We re-evaluated this approach in a follow-up cross sectional study using direct and culture-amplified PCR.

Material/methods

In April 2016 we collected paired oropharyngeal swabs (OPS) and saliva samples from 1005 healthy students in Portugal into STGG broth and stored them at -80°C until DNA extraction and batched qPCR analysis. Samples were also cultured on GC agar plates for 72h and P

SUBMITTER: Rodrigues F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6370198 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature