HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Free via Open Access: OA OA Free Full Text Full Text (PDF) OA All Versions of this Article: jmm.0.011189-0v1 58/9/1127    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Google Scholar Articles by de Filippis, I. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de Filippis, I. Agricola Articles by de Filippis, I.

Quest for a broad-range vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B: implications of genetic variations of the surface-exposed proteins

Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Departamento de Microbiologia, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil

Correspondence
Ivano de Filippis
ivano.defilippis{at}incqs.fiocruz.br

Despite the development of new vaccine formulations using new biotechnology resources to combat emerging and re-emerging diseases, serogroup B meningococcal disease is still a worldwide burden, accounting for many deaths and disabilities every year. The successful approach of coupling a polysaccharide (PS) with a carrier protein in order to increase long-lasting immunity could not be exploited against Neisseria meningitidis B because of the limitations of using the capsular PS of serogroup B meningococci. Tailor-made vaccines based on exposed proteins were shown to be a promising approach to overcome these flaws. However, the continuous adaptation of surface meningococcal structures to the external environment has led to genetic shifts of potential vaccine-target epitopes, hampering the quest for a broad-range vaccine that could be used against all serogroups, especially against serogroup B.