Emergence of a new clone of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis in São Paulo, Brazil.

Serogroup C isolates of Neisseria meningitidis recovered from 121 patients with meningitis or septicemia in Greater São Paulo, Brazil, between 1976 and 1990 were analyzed with respect to serotype and multilocus enzyme genotype. The distribution of serotypes has changed since 1989 when serotype 2b started to replace serotype 2a. There were 48 distinct multilocus genotypes (electrophoretic types [ETs]) and 13 distinct complexes. Among the 41 serotype C:2b:- strains analyzed, 38 (93%) were found in complex 11. The percentage of complex 11 increased from 8% in 1988 to 50 and 66% in 1989 and 1990, respectively. Although we have been in an epidemic situation due to serogroup B:4:P1.15 ET-5 complex since 1988, the appearance and increase of a new unrelated strain, C:2b:- of ET-11 complex, in 1989 and 1990 provide enough data to conclude that the presence of two different complexes, ET-5 and -11, of N. meningitidis were responsible for the high levels of meningococcal disease in Greater São Paulo during this period.