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Severity of meningococcal disease associated with genomic bacterial load

Severity of meningococcal disease associated with genomic bacterial load
Severity of meningococcal disease associated with genomic bacterial load
Background. Diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of Neisseria meningitidis has enabled accurate quantification of the bacterial load in patients with meningococcal disease.

Methods. Quantification of the N. meningitidis DNA level by real time-PCR was conducted on whole-blood samples obtained from patients presenting with meningococcal disease to hospitals throughout England and Wales over a 3-year period. Levels were correlated with clinical outcome, infecting serogroup, and host factors including,interleukin-1 genotype (IL-1).

Results. Bacterial loads were available for 1045 patients and were not associated with the age of the patient, delay in sample submission, or administration of antibiotics prior to admission. The median log bacterial load was higher in 95 patients who died (5.29 log10copies/mL; interquartile range, 4.41-6.30 log10copies/mL) than in 950 patients who survived (3.79 log10copies/mL; interquartile range, 2.87-4.71 log10copies/mL). Logistic regression revealed that age (odds ratio, 1.04 per 1-year increase in age) and bacterial load (odds ratio, 2.04 per log10-copies/mL increase) had a statistically significant effect on the risk of death. Infection with N. meningitidis serogroup C was associated with increased risk of death and an increased bacterial load. Also associated with a higher bacterial load were prolonged hospitalization (duration, >10 days); digit, limb, or soft-tissue loss; and requirement of hemodialysis. Carriage of IL-1RN(+2018) was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 2.14; P=.07) but not with a higher bacterial load.

Conclusions. In meningococcal disease, bacterial load is associated with likelihood of death, development of permanent disease sequelae, and prolonged hospitalization. The bacterial load was relatively higher in patients infected with N. meningitidis serogroup C than in those infected with other serogroups. The effects of age and IL-1 genotype on mortality are independent of a high genomic bacterial load.
1058-4838
587-594
Darton, Tom
30f7ff5a-2ab3-4e28-99c5-2cff04f3314a
Guiver, Malcolm
a4a2ae54-a47b-48b4-86ff-7ffa374a8013
Naylor, Simone
d368bae4-ed68-4652-bf0c-9ce9bbd84d5f
Jack, Dominic L.
246dc47b-5b5e-4933-9227-d13aafd9cb88
Kaczmarski, Edward B.
b64d93b8-aaee-44f6-a7a3-715f8971d3b3
Borrow, Raymond
dd28679e-2072-4639-9d68-851ada2eeea3
Read, Robert C.
b5caca7b-0063-438a-b703-7ecbb6fc2b51
Darton, Tom
30f7ff5a-2ab3-4e28-99c5-2cff04f3314a
Guiver, Malcolm
a4a2ae54-a47b-48b4-86ff-7ffa374a8013
Naylor, Simone
d368bae4-ed68-4652-bf0c-9ce9bbd84d5f
Jack, Dominic L.
246dc47b-5b5e-4933-9227-d13aafd9cb88
Kaczmarski, Edward B.
b64d93b8-aaee-44f6-a7a3-715f8971d3b3
Borrow, Raymond
dd28679e-2072-4639-9d68-851ada2eeea3
Read, Robert C.
b5caca7b-0063-438a-b703-7ecbb6fc2b51

Darton, Tom, Guiver, Malcolm, Naylor, Simone, Jack, Dominic L., Kaczmarski, Edward B., Borrow, Raymond and Read, Robert C. (2009) Severity of meningococcal disease associated with genomic bacterial load. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 48 (5), 587-594. (doi:10.1086/596707). (PMID:19191644)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background. Diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of Neisseria meningitidis has enabled accurate quantification of the bacterial load in patients with meningococcal disease.

Methods. Quantification of the N. meningitidis DNA level by real time-PCR was conducted on whole-blood samples obtained from patients presenting with meningococcal disease to hospitals throughout England and Wales over a 3-year period. Levels were correlated with clinical outcome, infecting serogroup, and host factors including,interleukin-1 genotype (IL-1).

Results. Bacterial loads were available for 1045 patients and were not associated with the age of the patient, delay in sample submission, or administration of antibiotics prior to admission. The median log bacterial load was higher in 95 patients who died (5.29 log10copies/mL; interquartile range, 4.41-6.30 log10copies/mL) than in 950 patients who survived (3.79 log10copies/mL; interquartile range, 2.87-4.71 log10copies/mL). Logistic regression revealed that age (odds ratio, 1.04 per 1-year increase in age) and bacterial load (odds ratio, 2.04 per log10-copies/mL increase) had a statistically significant effect on the risk of death. Infection with N. meningitidis serogroup C was associated with increased risk of death and an increased bacterial load. Also associated with a higher bacterial load were prolonged hospitalization (duration, >10 days); digit, limb, or soft-tissue loss; and requirement of hemodialysis. Carriage of IL-1RN(+2018) was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 2.14; P=.07) but not with a higher bacterial load.

Conclusions. In meningococcal disease, bacterial load is associated with likelihood of death, development of permanent disease sequelae, and prolonged hospitalization. The bacterial load was relatively higher in patients infected with N. meningitidis serogroup C than in those infected with other serogroups. The effects of age and IL-1 genotype on mortality are independent of a high genomic bacterial load.

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More information

Published date: 1 March 2009
Organisations: Clinical & Experimental Sciences

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Local EPrints ID: 341695
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/341695
ISSN: 1058-4838
PURE UUID: 9908fa84-dada-4969-aff2-0e0e34ea1c53
ORCID for Robert C. Read: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4297-6728

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Date deposited: 06 Aug 2012 10:54
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:42

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Contributors

Author: Tom Darton
Author: Malcolm Guiver
Author: Simone Naylor
Author: Dominic L. Jack
Author: Edward B. Kaczmarski
Author: Raymond Borrow
Author: Robert C. Read ORCID iD

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