Evolutionary epidemiology of Neisseria meningitidis strains in Belarus compared to other European countries.

Introduction: Meningococcal infections are major causes of death in children globally. In Belarus, the incidence of cases and fatality rate of meningococcal infections are low and comparable to the levels in other European countries.

Aim: In the present study, the molecular and epidemiological traits of Neisseria meningitidis strains circulating in Belarus were characterized and compared to isolates from other European countries.