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Br J Haematol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Eculizumab is the first and only medication approved for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) treatment. However, eculizumab safety based on long-term pharmacovigilance is unknown. This analysis summarises safety data collected from spontaneous and solicited sources from 16 March 2007 through 1 October 2016. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2019 Mar;80(3):591-602

Department of Dermatology, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, California.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons face important health issues relevant to dermatologists. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at higher risk of certain infectious diseases, including HIV, syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, and invasive meningococcal disease, and might be at higher risk of non-infectious conditions, including skin cancer. Recommendations for preventive health care, including screening for HIV and other STDs, sexual health-related vaccinations, and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, differ for MSM compared with non-MSM. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2019 Feb 7;19(1):49. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Wellcome Wolfson Institute of Experimental Medicine, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK.

Background: The early recognition of meningococcal disease in children is vital. During the prodrome however, meningococcal infection presents similarly to many self-limiting viral infections. This mandates a cautious approach with many children receiving unnecessary broad-spectrum parenteral antibiotics. Read More

Trop Med Int Health 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Objective: To investigate potential risk factors for acquisition in seven countries of the meningitis belt.

Methods: Households were followed up every 2 weeks for 2 months, then monthly for a further 4 months. Pharyngeal swabs were collected from all available household members at each visit and questionnaires completed. Read More

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2019 Jan 24;163. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

UMC Utrecht, Julius Centrum voor Gezondheidswetenschappen en Huisartsgeneeskunde, afd. Epidemiologie.

The recent outbreak of serogroup W meningococcal disease in the Netherlands, and the start of the vaccination campaign for adolescents in response, dominated the national headlines in 2018. During this time, the Health Council of the Netherlands prepared an advisory statement, which was released in December 2018, on how meningococcal disease caused by various serogroups could be controlled in the future. The Counsel recommends to include vaccination against serogroups A, C, W and Y for infants and adolescents in the Dutch National Immunization Programme. Read More

Epidemiol Health 2018 28;40:e2018058. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Département Bactériologie Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Cote d'lvoire.

Objectives: To describe the emergence of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) W135 in Côte d'Ivoire and its characteristics compared to NmA.

Methods: Data on Nm samples isolated at the National Reference Center for meningitis in Côte d'Ivoire between 2007 and 2012 were analyzed. Socio-demographic data and biological information on the samples were extracted from the database. Read More

Euro Surveill 2019 Jan;24(4)

Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

In Italy, B and C are the predominant serogroups among meningococci causing invasive diseases. Nevertheless, in the period from 2013 to 2016, an increase in serogroup W (MenW) was observed. This study intends to define the main characteristics of 63 MenW isolates responsible of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Italy from 2000 to 2016. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

a Hubert Department of Global Health , Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta GA , USA.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake consistently lags behind that of other adolescent vaccines. In 2017, uptake of a single HPV vaccine dose and HPV vaccine series completion was 66% and 49%, respectively, compared to uptake of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (89%) and quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (85%). Reasons for not vaccinating adolescents again HPV are varied, and in many cases, are rooted in commonly spread myths and misperceptions about the vaccine. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Jan 18. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Bielefeld University, Universtitätsstr. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany. Electronic address:

Introduction: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a severe disease mainly affecting infants and young children. The most common serogroup causing IMD in Germany is the serogroup type B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB). The aim of the present study is to estimate the economic burden of MenB-related IMD in Germany. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019 Jan 14;116(5):1802-1807. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Biostatistics, Biomathematics, Pharmacoepidemiology and Infectious Diseases (B2PHI), INSERM, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Saclay, F75724 Paris, France.

Infections caused by -including invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs)-remain a significant public health concern worldwide. The marked winter seasonality of IPDs is a striking, but still enigmatic aspect of pneumococcal epidemiology in nontropical climates. Here we confronted age-structured dynamic models of carriage transmission and disease with detailed IPD incidence data to test a range of hypotheses about the components and the mechanisms of pneumococcal seasonality. Read More

Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Children's Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

Aims: Enteroviruses (EVs) are the most common agents of aseptic meningitis. Some serotypes can cause serious neuroinfection leading to death. The aim of this study was to determine the representation of EVs in the etiology of aseptic meningitis in children and to analyze the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological characteristics of patients with EV meningitis. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Jan 8;19(1):29. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.

Background: During 2015-2016 an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease due to N. meningitidis serogroup C ST-11 (cc11) occurred in Tuscany, Italy. The outbreak affected mainly the age group 20-30 years, men who have sex with men, and the area located between the cities of Firenze, Prato and Empoli, with discos and gay-venues associated-clusters. Read More

J Glob Health 2019 Jun;9(1):010409

National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Background: Meningococcal disease continues to be a global public health concern due to its epidemic potential, severity, and sequelae. The global epidemiological data on circulating meningococcal serogroups have never been reviewed concurrently with the laboratory capacity for meningococcal surveillance at the national level. We, therefore, aimed to conduct a country-level review of meningococcal surveillance, serogroup distribution, and vaccine use. Read More

Iran J Immunol 2018 Dec;15(4):309-320

Dr BehcetUz Children's Hospital, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Izmir, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Primary complement deficiencies are rare diseases.

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical and laboratory findings and complications of patients to increase awareness of pediatricians about complement deficiencies, which are rarely encountered.

Methods: In this study, the clinical and immunological characteristics of 21 patients who consulted the Immunology Department of our hospital between 2003 and 2017 and were diagnosed with classical or alternative pathway complement deficiency were obtained from the file records. Read More

PLoS One 2018 28;13(12):e0209919. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

National Meningitis Reference Laboratory (NMRL), Dept of Public Health, National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece.

Herd protection, resulting from the interruption of transmission and asymptomatic carriage, is an important element of the effectiveness of vaccines against the meningococcus. Whilst this has been well established for conjugate polysaccharide vaccines directed against the meningococcal capsule, two uncertainties surround the potential herd protection provided by the novel protein-based vaccines that are used in place of serogroup B (MenB) polysaccharide vaccines (i) the strain coverage of such vaccines against carried meningococci, which are highly diverse; and (ii) the generation of a protective immune response in the mucosa. These considerations are essential for realistic estimates of cost-effectiveness of new MenB vaccines. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 27;18(1):703. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Immunology Division, Section of Pediatrics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence and Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Background: Primary meningococcal arthritis is a rare infectious disease that occurs in less than 3% of meningococcal infections and is characterized by arthritis without meningitis, fever, rash, or hemodynamic instability Barahona [Case Rep Orthop 4696014:2017 ]. There are no validated clinical criteria that can be used for the diagnosis. We present two pediatric cases of atypical presentation of meningococcal disease revealed by molecular tests. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 30;30:235. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire (CERMES), BP 10887, 634 Bd de la Nation, YNo34 Niamey, Niger.

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is one of the most severe infectious disease in Niger republic. To best describe the trends of BM disease, meningitis surveillance data from the Centre de Recherche Medicale et Sanitaire (CERMES) and the Direction of Surveillance and Response to Epidemics (DSRE) were reviewed and analyzed.

Methods: Data on number of notified cases of BM and on pathogens were analyzed during 2003-2015. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Dec 13;18(Suppl 4):1318. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

World Health Organisation, Country Representative Office, Abuja, Nigeria.

Background: Kebbi State remains the epicentre of the seasonal epidemic meningitis in northwestern Nigeria despite interventions. In this setting, no previous study has been conducted to understand the risk factors of the recurrent meningitis epidemics using qualitative approach. Consequently, this study intends to explore and better understand the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors of recurrent seasonal epidemic meninigitis using a qualitative approach. Read More

MBio 2018 12 11;9(6). Epub 2018 Dec 11.

RIKEN Structural Biology Laboratory, Yokohama, Japan.

While typically exists in an asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage state, it may cause potentially lethal diseases in humans, such as septicemia or meningitis, by invading deeper sites in the body. Since the nutrient compositions of human cells are not always conducive to meningococci, needs to exploit nutrients from host environments. In the present study, the utilization of cysteine by the meningococcal cysteine transport system (CTS) was analyzed for the pathogenesis of meningococcal infections. Read More

Tex Med 2018 Jul 1;114(7):46. Epub 2018 Jul 1.

Talk to Patients About: Meningococcal Disease. Read More

mSphere 2018 12 5;3(6). Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Vaccine Clinical Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, New York, USA.

carriage data are necessary to inform serogroup B (NmB) immunization program implementation. This longitudinal study compared detection methods to measure throat carriage prevalence in Quebec from November 2010 to December 2013 using cultured swab isolates and direct swab PCR from students in ninth grade (aged 13 to 15 years; = 534) and eleventh grade/college entry (16 to 18 years; = 363) and in university students in dormitories (18 to 25 years; = 360) at 3 time points per group. Meningococcal and NmB carriage rates were lower in ninth- and eleventh-grade/college entry students than university students, regardless of methodology. Read More

Blood 2019 Feb 3;133(6):530-539. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Haematology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Leeds, United Kingdom.

Ravulizumab (ALXN1210), a new complement C5 inhibitor, provides immediate, complete, and sustained C5 inhibition. This phase 3, open-label study assessed the noninferiority of ravulizumab to eculizumab in complement inhibitor-naive adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Patients with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≥1. Read More

Blood 2019 Feb 3;133(6):540-549. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Saint Louis Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.

Ravulizumab, a new complement component C5 inhibitor administered every 8 weeks, was noninferior to eculizumab administered every 2 weeks in complement-inhibitor-naive patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). This study assessed noninferiority of ravulizumab to eculizumab in clinically stable PNH patients during previous eculizumab therapy. In this phase 3, open-label, multicenter study, 195 PNH patients on labeled-dose (900 mg every 2 weeks) eculizumab for >6 months were randomly assigned 1:1 to switch to ravulizumab (n = 97) or continue eculizumab (n = 98). Read More

J Infect 2019 Feb 6;78(2):113-118. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Division of Pharmacovigilance, Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.

Background: Non-meningococcal, non-gonococcal Neisseria spp. are typically commensal and rarely cause invasive disease. Eculizumab is a terminal complement inhibitor that increases susceptibility to meningococcal disease, but data on disease caused by typically-commensal Neisseria spp. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 25;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK.

We present a challenging case of proximal humerus varus deformity in a four-limb amputee, caused by growth arrest from meningococcal septicaemia. The deformity resulted in a loss of function for our patient with inhibition of activities of daily living, requiring corrective osteotomy to help improve the range of motion of the shoulder. We describe in detail the management of our patient, highlight the importance of the orthopaedic manifestations of meningococcal septicaemia, and demonstrate the importance of monitoring potential deformities from growth arrest in these patients. Read More

Nat Commun 2018 10 25;9(1):4450. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Pathogenesis of Vascular Infections Unit, INSERM, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France.

The shape of cellular membranes is highly regulated by a set of conserved mechanisms that can be manipulated by bacterial pathogens to infect cells. Remodeling of the plasma membrane of endothelial cells by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is thought to be essential during the blood phase of meningococcal infection, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we show that plasma membrane remodeling occurs independently of F-actin, along meningococcal type IV pili fibers, by a physical mechanism that we term 'one-dimensional' membrane wetting. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 16;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Intensive Care, Centre Hospitalier Victor Jousselin, Dreux, France.

Meningococcal pericarditis is a rare but severe form of acute purulent pericarditis. It is a classic complication of , usually occurring in pilgrims to Mecca and their household contacts. This severe form of meningococcaemia is difficult to diagnose and evolves frequently and gradually towards a tamponade, requiring emergency drainage. Read More

Rev Med Brux 2018;39(4):345-351

Service de Maladies infectieuses et tropicales, CHU Ambroise Paré, Mons.

Neisseria meningitidis is the cause of relatively rare invasive infections, but with very important morbi-mortality. Vaccines are already available for serogroups A, C, W, Y. A new vaccine against meningococcus B is on the Belgian market since March 2017. Read More

Infect Disord Drug Targets 2018 Oct 11. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Australia.

We report the results of the 2007 national serological survey of immunity to diphtheria in Australia to assess the impact of recent schedule changes on diphtheria immunity, and the adequacy of current policy in the context of increased international travel of people and pathogens. Residual sera (n =1656) collected opportunistically from Australian laboratories in 2007 were tested for diphtheria antibody levels using an enzyme immunoassay, with the protective threshold defined as ≥0.1 IU/mL. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2018 Oct;14(622):1781-1784

Centre national des méningocoques, HUG, 1211 Genève 14.

In the last decade, the epidemiology of meningococcal infections in Switzerland and Europe has changed. The prevalence of Y and W serogroups augmented, with more atypical clinical manifestations such as pharyngitis, pneumonia and arthritis. A hypervirulent clonal serogroup W strain of Neisseria meningitidis has emerged in Europe and Switzerland, with a noticeable potential for epidemics as evidenced by its clonality. Read More

mSphere 2018 10 10;3(5). Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, United Kingdom

(gonococcus [Ng]) is the causative organism of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea, and no effective vaccine exists currently. In this study, the structure, biological properties, and vaccine potential of the Ng-adhesin complex protein (Ng-ACP) are presented. The crystal structure of recombinant Ng-ACP (rNg-ACP) protein was solved at 1. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Nov 18;92(3):241-244. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

Cardiac involvement can occur following bacteremia secondary to Neisseria meningitidis (Garcia et al. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1999;32(5):517-5122) and is likely underrecognized. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2018 Oct 2. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections Unit and National Reference Centre for Meningococci, Paris, France.

Objectives: The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique is increasingly used in hospital laboratories for routine identification of microorganisms. However, its performance is variable, particularly for highly variable species such as Neisseria meningitidis. Reliable identification of N. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2018 Oct 1:1-11. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

a Pfizer Vaccine Medical Development, Scientific & Clinical Affairs , Collegeville , PA , USA.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by Neisseria meningitidis is characterized by high mortality and morbidity. While IMD incidence peaks in both infants and adolescents/young adults, carriage rates are often highest in the latter age groups, increasing IMD risk and the likelihood of transmission. Effective vaccines are available for 5 of 6 disease-causing serogroups. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018 Sep 28;67(38):1060-1063. Epub 2018 Sep 28.

Meningococcal disease is a rare, but serious, bacterial infection that progresses rapidly and can be life-threatening, even with prompt antibiotic treatment. Men who have sex with men (MSM) have previously been reported to be at increased risk for meningococcal disease compared with other men, and recent outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal disease among MSM have occurred (1). However, the epidemiology of meningococcal disease among MSM in the United States is not well described, in part, because information about MSM has not historically been collected as part of routine meningococcal disease surveillance. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2018 Oct;37(10):1041-1047

Department of Population Health, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Background: Vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae have been serially introduced into the New Zealand national immunization schedule since the 1990s. This study aimed to describe long-term trends in the rates of these invasive bacterial infections in children from New Zealand and compare these to recent UK data.

Methods: This population-based observational study used 2 national datasets that collect data about hospital discharges (National Minimum Dataset) and notifiable diseases (Epurv). Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Sep 15;2018. Epub 2018 Sep 15.

Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Severe illness can lead to multiple transient endocrinopathies. In adult patients, neuroendocrine alterations include sick euthyroid syndrome, an increase in corticosteroid levels, increase in prolactin levels, decreased insulin growth factor 1 levels and hypogonadism. We report the case of a 24-year-old man with meningococcal sepsis with multiple end-organ complications who developed persistent non-autoimmune hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and primary hypogonadism all requiring hormone replacement. Read More

PLoS One 2018 13;13(9):e0199652. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

National Reference Laboratory for Meningococcal Infections, Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic.

Introduction: The study presents the analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data for Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W isolates recovered in the Czech Republic in 1984-2017 and their comparison with WGS data from other countries.

Material And Methods: Thirty-one Czech N. meningitidis W isolates, 22 from invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) and nine from healthy carriers were analysed. Read More

Pediatr Transplant 2018 11 12;22(7):e13282. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee.

Infections significantly impact outcomes for solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children. Vaccine-preventable diseases contribute to morbidity and mortality in both early and late posttransplant time periods. Several infectious diseases and transplantation societies have published recommendations and guidelines that address immunization in adult and pediatric transplant recipients. Read More

Expert Rev Vaccines 2018 10 27;17(10):865-880. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

c GSK Vaccines-Intercontinental , Singapore.

Introduction: Menveo, quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY-CRM conjugate vaccine, was first licensed in 2010 in the United States and has a long track record of immunogenicity and safety in all age groups, including infants from 2 months of age. Areas covered: This review presents clinical and post-marketing experience with MenACWY-CRM from 32 studies conducted in 20 countries that included individuals aged from 2 months to 75 years. Expert commentary: This decade has seen an increased number of countries reporting serogroup W ST-11 clonal complex outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019 19;15(1):134-140. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics , Eskisehir Osmangazi University , Eskisehir , Turkey.

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children and adults. Better understanding of the seroepidemiology of meningitis is critical for both the selection and implementation of an effective meningitis vaccine for the national immunization program. Because physicians play a crucial role in the implementation of this vaccine, the aim of this study was to evaluate the attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of healthcare professionals in Turkey regarding the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of bacterial meningitis, especially pneumococcal and meningococcal meningitis. Read More

J Bacteriol 2018 Nov 23;200(22). Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Many pathogenic microbes evade host immune surveillance by varying the surface antigens, a process termed antigenic variation. While the process of pilin antigenic variation has been extensively studied in the human pathogen (gonococcus [Gc]), relatively few studies of pilin antigenic variation have been conducted with (meningococcus [Mc]). Mc is usually a commensal organism that colonizes the human nasopharynx, but when it translocates to the bloodstream or meninges, it results in the severe and often deadly meningococcal disease. Read More

Vaccine 2018 09 30;36(40):5962-5966. Epub 2018 Aug 30.

S.O.C. Malattie Infettive 2 Pistoia - Prato, Azienda USL Toscana-Centro Ospedale San Jacopo, Pistoia, Italy.

Objectives: To describe the cluster of MenC ST11 Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) occurred in Tuscany in the years 2015-2016.

Methods: A retrospective charts analysis of clinical, epidemiological and microbiological aspects of documented IMD was performed. Prognostic factors for death were evaluated. Read More

Blood Adv 2018 Sep;2(17):2176-2185

Department of Hematology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Ravulizumab (ALXN1210), a humanized monoclonal antibody to complement component C5, was engineered from eculizumab to have a substantially longer terminal half-life, permitting longer dosing intervals for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) treatment. Two phase 1b/2 multicenter open-label studies evaluated efficacy and safety of multiple doses and regimens of ravulizumab in PNH patients naive to complement-inhibitor treatment. Patients in study 103 (n = 13) received ravulizumab 900 mg (lower trough exposure) or 1800 mg every 4 weeks (higher trough exposure); those in study 201 (n = 26) received 1000 mg every 4, 1600 mg every 6, 2400 mg every 8, or 5400 mg every 12 weeks. Read More

Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2018 09 31;32(5):442-447. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Inserm UMR 1153, Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (Epopé), Center for Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.

Background: In a context of suboptimal vaccination coverage and increasing vaccine hesitancy, we aimed to study morbidity and mortality in children related to missing or incomplete meningococcal C and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational, population-based study from 2009 to 2014 in a French administrative area that included all children from age 1 month to 16 years who died before admission or were admitted to an intensive care unit for a community-onset bacterial infection. Vaccine-preventable infection was defined as an infection with an identified serotype included in the national vaccine schedule at the time of infection and occurring in a non- or incompletely vaccinated child. Read More

Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2018 Jun 28;2(6):404-414. Epub 2018 Apr 28.

Section of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Background: Sepsis and severe focal infections represent a substantial disease burden in children admitted to hospital. We aimed to understand the burden of disease and outcomes in children with life-threatening bacterial infections in Europe.

Methods: The European Union Childhood Life-threatening Infectious Disease Study (EUCLIDS) was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study done in six countries in Europe. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019 6;15(1):242-248. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

e Ministry of Health , Government Central Laboratories , Jerusalem , Israel.

Background And Aims: Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause life-threatening invasive infections referred to as invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). In the last decade the incidence of IMD in Israel is about 1/100,000 population annually. Read More

Vaccine 2018 09 23;36(39):5846-5857. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Bacterial meningitis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide among children aged 1-59 months. We aimed to describe its burden in South Asia, focusing on vaccine-preventable aetiologies.

Methods: We searched five databases for studies published from January 1, 1990, to April 25, 2017. Read More

mSphere 2018 08 22;3(4). Epub 2018 Aug 22.

GSK Vaccines, Siena, Italy.

is a common cause of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults worldwide. The 4CMenB vaccine (Bexsero), developed to combat meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) disease, contains subcapsular antigens that may induce immunity against strains of , regardless of serogroup. Owing to differential levels of expression and peptide diversity in vaccine antigens across meningococcal strains, the eningococcal ntigen yping ystem (MATS) was developed to estimate the potential MenB strain coverage of 4CMenB. Read More

Intensive Care Med 2018 Sep 20;44(9):1502-1511. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Service de Réanimation Médicale, Groupe de Recherche CARMAS, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Henri Mondor, 51, Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94010, Créteil, France.

Purpose: Data on purpura fulminans (PF) in adult patients are scarce and mainly limited to meningococcal infections. Our aim has been to report the clinical features and outcomes of adult patients admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) for an infectious PF, as well as the predictive factors for limb amputation and mortality.

Methods: A 17-year national multicenter retrospective cohort study in 55 ICUs in France from 2000 to 2016, including adult patients admitted for an infectious PF defined by a sudden and extensive purpura, together with the need for vasopressor support. Read More