Molecular characterization of invasive serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis isolates from Spain during 2015-2018: Evolution of the vaccine antigen factor H binding protein (FHbp).

Abstract

Studies of meningococcal genetic population structure, including the potential associations between surface proteins variants and clonal complexes, are important to understand how new protein MenB vaccines might impact in specific scenarios. With the aim to analyze the diversity of Spanish invasive MenB strains, and genetic variability of the fHbp vaccine antigen, all MenB isolates received at National Reference Laboratory (NRL) from 2015 to 2018 were molecularly characterized. 108, 103, 87 and 112 invasive MenB strains isolated during 2015-2018, respectively, were received at NRL. The strains were whole genome sequenced, and porA, fetA, MLST and fHbp variability was analyzed. Potential impact on MenB vaccines coverage was also assessed. A total of 42, 38 and 3 different FHbp subfamily A, B and A/B hybrid peptides, respectively, were found. FHbp subfamily A peptides were harboured by most of the strains (65.9%), being the most prevalent peptide 45 which was associated with genosubtype 22,14 and cc213. FHbp subfamily B peptides were harboured by 32.4% of the strains, and 6 strains harbouring subfamily A/B hybrid peptides were also found. The 64.15% of the strains showed FHbp variants "exact-match" or "cross-reactive" to the FHbp variants included in rLP2086 vaccine according to hSBA assays in the rLP2086 clinical development, and 15.85% showed FHbp peptides defined as predictors of FHbp-coverage for 4CMenB vaccine by gMATS. Due to invasive meningococcal strains temporal variability (eg prevalence of the cc213 increased from 3.6% in 2007 to 33% in 2018) affecting to the presence and distribution of the vaccine antigens, continuous detailed meningococcal surveillance and monitoring of the vaccine antigens is needed to determine the degree and durability of coverage provided by these protein vaccine.