Defining seroprevalence and correlates of protection for Neisseria meningitidis group A in the African meningitis belt

非洲脑膜炎带 A 组脑膜炎奈瑟菌的血清流行率和保护相关性的定义

• 批准号: G0701269/1
• 负责人: Caroline Trotter
• 金额: $ 26.72万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2008 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=G0701269%2F1
• 关键词: Defining; seroprevalence; correlates; protection; Neisseria

We are trying to find out more about the factors that protect people against meningitis caused by bacteria known as ‘group A meningococcus’. Large, devastating epidemics of this disease occur in Africa in a sub-Saharan region called the ‘meningitis belt’. A vaccine is being developed against this disease, and will be first used in Burkina Faso in 2009.People who are vaccinated produce antibodies in their blood that protect them from this form of meningitis. We also know that some individuals can develop antibodies naturally if they are exposed to the bacteria during the course of their life. Although we can measure these antibodies we do not know what levels are needed for protection. To study this, we are going to take blood samples from unvaccinated individuals in Burkina Faso and compare the proportion of people in different age groups who have antibodies above a certain threshold with their chances of getting meningitis. If we can define this marker of protection, we will help scientists address other important questions, such as how often populations should be vaccinated to maintain protection against the disease. In addition, we will create a collection of blood samples that can be used by other researchers to study other types of meningitis in Africa.

我们正试图找出更多的因素，保护人们免受脑膜炎所造成的细菌称为'组脑膜炎球菌'。这种疾病在非洲撒哈拉以南地区发生了大规模、毁灭性的流行，该地区被称为“脑膜炎带”。一种针对这种疾病的疫苗正在开发中，并将于2009年在布基纳法索首次使用。接种疫苗的人在血液中产生抗体，保护他们免受这种脑膜炎的侵害。我们还知道，有些人可以开发抗体自然，如果他们暴露于细菌在他们的生活过程中。虽然我们可以测量这些抗体，但我们不知道需要什么水平的保护。为了研究这一点，我们将从布基纳法索未接种疫苗的人身上采集血液样本，并将不同年龄组中抗体超过一定阈值的人的比例与他们患脑膜炎的几率进行比较。如果我们能够定义这种保护标记，我们将帮助科学家解决其他重要问题，例如人群应该多久接种一次疫苗以保持对疾病的保护。此外，我们还将收集血液样本，供其他研究人员用于研究非洲其他类型的脑膜炎。