Detection of Neisseria meningitidis in saliva and oropharyngeal samples from college students.

ABSTRACT: Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis is an accepted endpoint in monitoring meningococcal vaccines effects. We have assessed N. meningitidis and vaccine-type genogroup carriage prevalence in college students at the time of MenACWY vaccine introduction in the Netherlands, and evaluated the feasibility of saliva sampling for the surveillance of carriage. For this, paired saliva and oropharyngeal samples collected from 299 students were cultured for meningococcus. The DNA extracted from all bacterial growth was subjected to qPCRs quantifying meningococcal and genogroup-specific genes presence. Samples negative by culture yet positive for qPCR were cultured again for meningococcus. Altogether 74 (25%) of students were identified as meningococcal carrier by any method. Sixty-one students (20%) wer

SUBMITTER: Miellet WR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8632920 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature