Automated non-culture-based sequence typing of meningococci from body fluids.

In recent years, the polymerase chain reaction has been used for the non-culture diagnosis of meningococcal disease, and sequence-based typing takes this further by providing the full characterisation normally only available by culture. In this study, porA gene sequencing was used to perform non-culture-based sequence typing of Neisseria meningitidis strains direct from body fluids. Non-culture porA gene sequencing provided the serosubtype of the infecting organism, and proved to be a useful method as N. meningitidis was not isolated from any of the patients in this study. In conclusion, porA gene sequencing is a very useful tool for the non-culture characterisation of meningococci and provides important information for public health management of cases and contacts.