PorA Types in Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B Isolated in Argentina from 2001 to 2003: Implications for theDesign of an Outer Membrane Based Vaccine.

SORHOUET PEREIRA C; REGUEIRA M; MOLLERACH M

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY

Lippincott Williams And Wilkins

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2008 vol. 57 p. 338 - 342

0022-2615

Identification of Neisseria meningitidis PorA types remains important, as the PorA protein is a major immunogenic component of several meningococcal vaccines under development. In this study, 191 N. meningitidis serogroup B isolates collected in Argentina through active laboratory-based surveillance from 2001 to 2003 were serosubtyped. Nucleotide sequences of the porA variable region 1 (VR1) and VR2 regions were determined in 52 non-serosubtypeable isolates. A substantial number of distinct VR types were identified, and a new VR2 variant from the P1.16 family was described. This is the first report describing PorA types in N. meningitidis serogroup B isolates in Argentina. Furthermore, the wide diversity of subtypes detected by serosubtyping and genosubtyping reveals the difficulty in designing a useful outer-membrane vaccine applicable in this country. A possible mechanism responsible for altered PorA expression was analysed in two PorA types.