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Observational Study
. 2019 Apr;24(14):1800245.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.14.1800245.

Increase of invasive meningococcal serogroup W disease in Europe, 2013 to 2017

Manuel Krone  1 , Steve Gray  2 , Raquel Abad  3 , Anna Skoczyńska  4 , Paola Stefanelli  5 , Arie van der Ende  6 , Georgina Tzanakaki  7 , Paula Mölling  8 , Maria João Simões  9 , Pavla Křížová  10 , Stéphane Emonet  11 , Dominique A Caugant  12 , Maija Toropainen  13 , Julio Vazquez  3 , Izabela Waśko  4 , Mirjam J Knol  14 , Susanne Jacobsson  8 , Célia Rodrigues Bettencourt  9 , Martin Musilek  10 , Rita Born  15 , Ulrich Vogel  1 , Ray Borrow  2
Affiliations
Observational Study

Increase of invasive meningococcal serogroup W disease in Europe, 2013 to 2017

Manuel Krone et al. Euro Surveill. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

BackgroundThe total incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Europe has been declining in recent years; however, a rising incidence due to serogroup W (MenW), predominantly sequence type 11 (ST-11), clonal complex 11 (cc11), was reported in some European countries.AimThe aim of this study was to compile the most recent laboratory surveillance data on MenW IMD from several European countries to assess recent trends in Europe.MethodsIn this observational, retrospective study, IMD surveillance data collected from 2013-17 by national reference laboratories and surveillance units from 13 European countries were analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultsThe overall incidence of IMD has been stable during the study period. Incidence of MenW IMD per 100,000 population (2013: 0.03; 2014: 0.05; 2015: 0.08; 2016: 0.11; 2017: 0.11) and the proportion of this serogroup among all invasive cases (2013: 5% (116/2,216); 2014: 9% (161/1,761); 2015: 13% (271/2,074); 2016: 17% (388/2,222); 2017: 19% (393/2,112)) continuously increased. The most affected countries were England, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. MenW was more frequent in older age groups (≥ 45 years), while the proportion in children (< 15 years) was lower than in other age groups. Of the culture-confirmed MenW IMD cases, 80% (615/767) were caused by hypervirulent cc11.ConclusionDuring the years 2013-17, an increase in MenW IMD, mainly caused by MenW cc11, was observed in the majority of European countries. Given the unpredictable nature of meningococcal spread and the epidemiological potential of cc11, European countries may consider preventive strategies adapted to their contexts.

Keywords: Europe; Neisseria menigitidis; airborne infections; bacterial infections; epidemiology; meningococcal disease; serogroup W; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: Manuel Krone, Steve Gray, Raquel Abad, Georgina Tzanakaki, Paula Mölling, Maria João Simões, Pavla Křížová, Stéphane Emonet, Dominique A. Caugant, Izabela Waśko, Mirjam J. Knol, Susanne Jacobsson, Célia Rodrigues Bettencourt, Martin Musilek, Rita Born and Ulrich Vogel declare no conflict of interest.

Anna Skoczyńska: Assistance to attend scientific meetings and honoraria for lecturing funded from Baxter, GSK, Novartis and Pfizer; attendance in the Advisory Boards of GSK, Pfizer and Sanofi Pasteur; grants on behalf of the National Medicines Institute, Poland, from GSK, Novartis and Pfizer.

Paola Stefanelli declares research projects by Pfizer and GSK payed to the institution.

Arie van der Ende reports an Investigator Initiated Research Project (Study ID# WI173197) by Pfizer payed to the Institution and consultancy activities for GSK and Pfizer payed to the Institution.

Maija Toropainen reports grants from GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer to the National Institute for Health and Welfare for research projects in which she is a co-investigator.

Julio Vazquez acts as temporal advisor and receives grants for research from Sanofi-Pasteur, Novartis Vaccines, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer.

Ray Borrow performs contract research on behalf of Public Health England for GSK, Pfizer and Sanofi Pasteur.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean annual incidence of (A) invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) and (B) serogroup W N. meningitidis (MenW) IMD per 100,000 population and the proportion of (C) MenW IMD cases and (D) MenW clonal complex 11 IMD casesa, by country, 13 EMGM-member countries, 2013–2017
Figure 2
Figure 2
Incidence of invasive meningococcal disease due to serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis per 100,000 population, by year and country, 13 EMGM-member countries, 2013–2017 (n = 1,329)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage of serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis of all invasive meningococcal disease cases, 13 EMGM-member countries, 2013–2017
Figure 4
Figure 4
Number and incidence per 100,000 population of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW), by age group, and percentage of MenW of all IMD cases, 13 EMGM-member countries, 2016
Figure 5
Figure 5
Total serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW) invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases, cultured MenW sequence-typed cases and MenW:cc11 cases, 13 EMGM-member countries, 2016
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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