Detection of Novel US Neisseria meningitidis Urethritis Clade Subtypes in Japan

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 29; no. 11; pp. 2210 - 2217
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Hideyuki, Morita, Masatomo, Yasuda, Mitsuru, Ohama, Yuki, Kobori, Yoshitomo, Kojima, Munekado, Shimuta, Ken, Akeda, Yukihiro, Ohnishi, Makoto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.11.2023; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Detection of Novel US; Diagnosis; Disease transmission; DNA sequencing; Epidemics; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genomes; Genomics; Genotype; Gonorrhea; Health aspects; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Identification and classification; invasive meningococcal diseases; Japan - epidemiology; Laboratories; Male; Mass spectrometry; Meningitis; Meningococcal Infections - epidemiology; Meningococcal Infections - microbiology; meningococci; Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria meningitidis - genetics; Nucleotide sequencing; Penicillin G; Phylogenetics; Scientific imaging; serogroup; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; United States - epidemiology; Urethritis; Urethritis - epidemiology; Urethritis - microbiology; urethritis clade; Urethritis Clade Subtypes in Japan; Whole genome sequencing; United States; Japan; United States > US; phylogenetic analysis; bacteria; sexually transmitted infections; serogroup; Japan; whole-genome sequencing; meningococci; urethritis; urethritis clade; Neisseria meningitidis; invasive meningococcal diseases; meningitis/encephalitis
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2911.231082

Neisseria meningitidis causes invasive meningococcal diseases and has also been identified as a causative agent of sexually transmitted infections, including urethritis. Unencapsulated sequence type 11 meningococci containing the gonococcal aniA-norB locus and belonging to the United States N. meningitidis urethritis clade (US_NmUC) are causative agents of urethral infections in the United States, predominantly among men who have sex with men. We identified 2 subtypes of unencapsulated sequence type 11 meningococci in Japan that were phylogenetically close to US_NmUC, designated as the Japan N. meningitidis urethritis clade (J_NmUC). The subtypes were characterized by PCR, serologic testing, and whole-genome sequencing. Our study suggests that an ancestor of US_NmUC and J_NmUS urethritis-associated meningococci is disseminated worldwide. Global monitoring of urethritis-associated N. meningitidis isolates should be performed to further characterize microbiologic and epidemiologic characteristics of urethritis clade meningococci.