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Capsular Operons

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Meningococcal Disease

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Medicine™ ((MIMM,volume 67))

Abstract

The major factor determining the different pathogenicities of meningococci and their close relatives, the gonococci, is the polysaccharide capsule. The capsule protects meningococci from complement attack and phagocytosis and is indispensable for systemic spread of the bacteria during sepsis and meningitis (1–5). The influence of the capsule on transmission of the bacteria, colonization of the human host, entry into the bloodstream, and passage of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), respectively, is less well-understood. Colonizing meningococci may be acapsular (6,7), and at least in serogroup B meningococci, there is evidence that transient loss of encapsulation owing to genetic-switching mechanisms facilitates entry into epithelial cells (8,9). Characterization of meningococcal capsules in disease and carrier isolates is important as part of the meningococcal typing scheme of outbreak isolates. Typing is performed to determine the transmission of index strains. Capsular serogrouping is of particular importance in the assessment of the suitability of vaccination in outbreak management (reviewed in ref. 10). This chapter describes serological and molecular techniques used for the determination of serogroups and capsular genotypes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Universität Würzburg, Germany

    Ulrich Vogel, Heike Claus & Matthias Frosch

Authors
  1. Ulrich Vogel
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  2. Heike Claus
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  3. Matthias Frosch
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. BC Research Institute for Children’s and Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrew J. Pollard MD, PhD

  2. Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Oxford, UK

    Martin C. J. Maiden PhD

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© 2001 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Vogel, U., Claus, H., Frosch, M. (2001). Capsular Operons. In: Walker, J.M., Pollard, A.J., Maiden, M.C.J. (eds) Meningococcal Disease. Methods in Molecular Medicine™, vol 67. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-149-3:187

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-149-3:187

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-849-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-149-7

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