Search results for "Meningococcal Disease"
showing 10 items of 11 documents
Sex- and age patterns in incidence of infectious diseases in Germany: analyses of surveillance records over a 13-year period (2001–2013)
2018
AbstractSex differences in the incidence of infections may indicate different risk factors and behaviour but have not been analysed across pathogens. Based on 3.96 million records of 33 pathogens in Germany, notified from 2001 to 2013, we applied Poisson regression to generate age-standardised incidence rate ratios and assessed their distribution across age and sex. The following trends became apparent: (a) pathogens with male incidence preponderance at infant and child age (meningococcal disease (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.38, age = 0–4); influenza (IRR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.06–1.13, age = 0–4)), (b) pathogens with sex-switch in incidence preponderance at puberty (e.g. nor…
Cocirculation of Hajj and non-Hajj strains among serogroup W meningococci in Italy, 2000 to 2016
2019
In Italy, B and C are the predominant serogroups among meningococci causing invasive diseases. Nevertheless, in the period from 2013 to 2016, an increase in serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW) was observed. This study intends to define the main characteristics of 63 MenW isolates responsible of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Italy from 2000 to 2016. We performed whole genome sequencing on bacterial isolates or single gene sequencing on culture-negative samples to evaluate molecular heterogeneity. Our main finding was the cocirculation of the Hajj and the South American sublineages belonging to MenW/clonal complex (cc)11, which gradually surpassed the MenW/cc22 in Italy. All M…
Invasive meningococcal disease in Italy: from analysis of national data to an evidence-based vaccination strategy
2020
Introduction. Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is one of the most severe vaccine-preventable diseases not yet under control. In Italy, although different anti-meningococcal vaccines are available, their offer among regions is heterogeneous. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology of IMD in Italy based on analysis of national surveillance data for 2011–2017 to optimize the vaccination strategy. Methods: IMD surveillance data from the Italian National Health Institute were analysed. Microsoft Excel was used to present trend analysis, stratifying by age and serogroups. Results: In Italy, during the period 2011–2017, the incidence of IMD increased from 0.25 cases/100,000 inhab…
[Alert for meningitis in Palermo? Successful strategies to counteract the impact of mass media]
2018
Following two invasive meningococcal disease cases among twenties, general population overloaded vaccination Units of the Palermo's District during summer 2016. Sicilian Health Authorities adopted several public health strategies including: a) active meningococcal vaccination free of charge for people from 18 up to 30 years of age, b) information in crowded places and rapid communication by media. An increase in anti-meningococcal vaccination doses administered (+868%) as well as in anti-dTp and HPV vaccination (+41% and +8%, respectively) due to a further catch-up was observed.
Culture and Real-time Polymerase Chain reaction sensitivity in the diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease: Does culture miss less severe cases?
2019
BackgroundInvasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a highly lethal disease. Diagnosis is commonly performed by culture or Realtime-PCR (qPCR).AimsOur aim was to evaluate, retrospectively, whether culture positivity correlates with higher bacterial load and fatal outcome. Our secondary aim was to compare culture and qPCR sensitivity.MethodsThe National Register for Molecular Surveillance was used as data source. Cycle threshold (CT), known to be inversely correlated with bacterial load, was used to compare bacterial load in different samples.ResultsThree-hundred-thirteen patients were found positive for Neisseria meningitidis by qPCR, or culture, or both; 41 died (case fatality rate 13.1%); 1…
On Some Statistical Properties of the Spatio-Temporal Product Density
2021
We present an extension of the non-parametric edge-corrected Ohser-type kernel estimator for the spatio-temporal product density function. We derive the mean and variance of the estimator and give a closed-form approximation for a spatio-temporal Poisson point process. Asymptotic properties of this second-order characteristic are derived, using an approach based on martingale theory. Taking advantage of the convergence to normality, confidence surfaces under the homogeneous Poisson process are built. A simulation study is presented to compare our approximation for the variance with Monte Carlo estimated values. Finally, we apply the resulting estimator and its properties to analyse the spat…
Two versus three doses of a meningococcal C conjugate vaccine concomitantly administered with a hexavalent DTaP-IPV-HBV/Hib vaccine in healthy infant…
2007
The immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a meningococcal serogroup C (MenC) conjugate vaccine given concomitantly with DTaP-IPV-HBV/Hib vaccine according to a two- or three-dose schedule in healthy infants was evaluated. At 1 month post-vaccination, 98% (two doses) and 100% (three doses) of subjects had serum bactericidal antibody using human complement assay (hSBA) titres > or =1:8; at 12 months of age > or =89% of subjects in each group remained seroprotected. Induction of immunological memory, as evaluated by administration of a meningococcal serogroup A/C polysaccharide vaccine challenge dose, was similar for both regimens and no interference was observed in the immune response to MenC …
Age-Dependent Association of Human Mannose-Binding Lectin Mutations With Susceptibility to Invasive Meningococcal Disease in Childhood
2007
Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important factor of the innate immune system, and MBL-initiated complement activation is an important early defense mechanism against various bacterial infections, including invasive meningococcal disease.In a pediatric cohort (ages 2-215 months) with invasive meningococcal disease, we investigated the overall and age-stratified frequency of 3 MBL exon 1 variations (C154T, G161A, G170A), previously shown to result in markedly decreased MBL plasma concentrations, by allele specific fluorescent hybridization probe real-time PCR assays and direct sequencing. Healthy age-matched volunteers with the same ethnic background and no history of meningococcal disease…
A dose-range study assessing immunogenicity and safety of one dose of a new candidate meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, Y tetanus toxoid conjugat…
2009
Meningococcal disease incidence is highest in young children, yet a tetravalent conjugate vaccine is currently not available for this age group. This study evaluated a single dose of four different ACWY-TT conjugate vaccine formulations in 240 toddlers (12-14 months) and 268 children (3-5 years) compared to licensed age-appropriate control vaccines. In toddlers, rSBA-MenC GMTs for the selected formulation were statistically higher than after monovalent-MenC-conjugate vaccine. In children, rSBA-GMTs against each serogroup were statistically higher than after tetravalent polysaccharide vaccine. The safety profile was comparable to licensed controls. The new ACWY-TT conjugate vaccine promises …
Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and immune memory after primary vaccination with a novel Haemophilus influenzae-Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C co…
2007
ABSTRACT We evaluated two formulations of a new combined Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)-meningococcal serogroup C (MenC)-tetanus toxoid (TT) conjugated vaccine and two formulations of a new MenC-TT vaccine (trials 711202/001 and 711202/008; clinical trial register numbers NCT00135486 and NCT00135564 [ www.ClinicalTrials.gov ]). A total of 520 healthy infants were randomized to receive primary vaccination (at 2, 3, and 4 months) with either MenC-TT plus diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa)-hepatitis B virus (HBV)-inactivated poliovirus (IPV)/Hib, Hib-MenC-TT plus DTPa-HBV-IPV, or MenC-CRM 197 plus DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib (control). At 12 to 15 months, subjects received a polysaccharid…