Bacteriophage in Meningococci and Meningococcal Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Bille Emmanuelle, Ure Roisin, Gray Stephen J., Kaczmarski Edward B., McCarthy Noel D., Nassif Xavier, Maiden Martin C. J., Tinsley Colin R.
Primary Institution: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
Hypothesis
A virulence gene would be overrepresented in hyperinvasive clonal complexes and associated with invasive disease.
Conclusion
The MDA phage is associated with increased invasiveness in meningococci, particularly in young adults.
Supporting Evidence
- The MDA phage was present in 82.3% of disease isolates in 1999 and 88.4% in 2001.
- Meningococci with the MDA phage were more likely to be isolated from invasive disease than from carriage.
- The odds ratio for association between MDA and disease was 4.9.
- The study found a significant association of the MDA phage with disease in young adults aged 13 to 28 years.
Takeaway
Scientists found a virus that lives in some bacteria can make those bacteria more likely to cause serious illness, especially in young adults.
Methodology
The study surveyed 1288 meningococcal isolates for the presence of the MDA phage and analyzed associations with disease using statistical models.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the reliance on isolates from specific geographic regions and time periods.
Limitations
The study is limited by the inability to reproduce human disease in animal models.
Participant Demographics
Isolates were collected from both disease cases and asymptomatic carriers in South East England, with a focus on young adults.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.003
Confidence Interval
95% CI 3.6–6.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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