An Outbreak of Serotype 1 <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> Meningitis in Northern Ghana with Features That Are Characteristic of <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> Meningitis Epidemics

Abstract

The S. pneumoniae ST217 clonal complex represents a hypervirulent lineage with a high propensity to cause meningitis, and our results suggest that this lineage might have the potential to cause an epidemic. Serotype 1 is not included in the currently licensed pediatric heptavalent pneumococcal vaccine. Mass vaccination with a less complex conjugate vaccine that targets hypervirulent serotypes should, therefore, be considered.