Publications by authors named "J Lucidarme"
Article Synopsis
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have effectively identified disease-related genetic markers and antimicrobial resistance factors in bacterial pathogens, using a new phenotype-to-genotype approach to analyze multiple traits simultaneously.
- Researchers examined 163 specific bacterial isolates for 11 traits, revealing significant differences in eight traits between disease subgroups and candidate genes linked to survival advantages.
- The study highlights the importance of integrating high-throughput phenotypic testing with genomic analysis, successfully identifying key genetic determinants that contribute to the behavior and pathogenicity of bacterial pathogens.
Article Synopsis
- Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious illness caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, often leading to meningitis or septicemia.
- There are six main serogroups (A, B, C, W, X, Y) responsible for the majority of cases, which can spread through respiratory droplets and secretions from infected individuals or carriers.
- Vaccination is available to prevent IMD, and giving antibiotics to close contacts of infected people is vital to stop further infections.
This review details recent findings from the Global Meningococcal Initiative's (GMI) recent meeting on the surveillance and control strategies for invasive meningococcal disease in the Middle East. The nature of case reporting and notification varies across the region, with many countries using bacterial meningitis as an IMD case definition in lieu of meningitis and septicaemia. This may overlook a significant burden associated with IMD leading to underreporting or misreporting of the disease.
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- The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decline in invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases in England, with a 73% reduction following restrictions introduced in March 2020.
- Prior to the pandemic, MenB was the most common strain, making up over half of IMD cases, but after restrictions were lifted in 2021, a notable resurgence was seen particularly among teenagers and young adults.
- Despite the increase in MenB cases in the winter of 2022/23, the incidence in young children eligible for MenB vaccination remained lower than pre-pandemic levels, while MenACWY cases stayed low due to ongoing vaccination efforts.
Background: Travel to international mass gatherings such as the Hajj pilgrimage increases the risk of Neisseria meningitidis transmission and meningococcal disease. We investigated carriage and acquisition of N. meningitidis among travelers to Hajj and determined circulating serogroups, sequence types and antibiotic susceptibility among isolates.
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