Meningococci of Serogroup X Clonal Complex 181 in Refugee Camps, Italy

• DOI: 10.3201/eid2305.161713
• Publication Date: 2017-03-27T16:18:22Z
• Authors: Paola Stefanelli; Arianna Neri; Paola Vacca; Damiano Picicco; Laura Daprai; Giulia Mainardi; Gian Maria Rossolini; Alessandro Bartoloni; Anna Anselmo; Andrea Ciammaruconi; Antonella Fortunato; Anna Maria Palozzi; Silvia Fillo; Marino Faccini; Sabrina Senatore; Florigio Lista; Cecilia Fazio
• Keywords: Adult; Male; bacteria; invasive meningococcal diseases; meningitis/encephalitis; migrants; serogroup X; adolescent; adult; anti-bacterial agents; female; humans; italy; male; meningitis, meningococcal; multilocus sequence typing; neisseria meningitidis; phylogeny; treatment outcome; young adult; disease outbreaks; refugees; sentinel surveillance; serogroup; Adolescent; migrants; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; invasive meningococcal diseases; Meningitis, Meningococcal; Neisseria meningitidis; Serogroup; Disease Outbreaks; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Research Letter; Humans; serogroup X; bacteria; Phylogeny; Refugees; R; bacteria; invasive meningococcal diseases; meningitis/encephalitis; migrants; serogroup X; Epidemiology; Microbiology (medical); Infectious Diseases; Anti-Bacterial Agents; 3. Good health; Treatment Outcome; Italy; Medicine; Female; meningitis/encephalitis; Sentinel Surveillance; Multilocus Sequence Typing

Abstract Four cases of infection with serogroup X meningococci (MenX) (1 in 2015 and 3 2016) occurred migrants living refugee camps or reception centers Italy. All MenX isolates were identified as clonal complex 181. Our report suggests that represents an emerging health threat for persons arriving from African countries.