siaD PCR ELISA for confirmation and identification of serogroup Y and W135 meningococcal infections.

Non-culture diagnosis and serogroup determination of meningococcal infection is important in contact management where vaccination may be possible. A serogroup B and C PCR ELISA assay for the non-culture diagnosis and serogroup determination has proved invaluable for enhanced epidemiological surveillance and contact management. A polymerase chain reaction assay, based on a restriction fragment length polymorphism in the meningococcal serogroup Y and W135 sialyltransferase (siaD) gene, was developed to enhance the range of non-culture diagnosis of meningococcal infection from clinical samples. The PCR assay was adapted to an ELISA format incorporating hybridisation with serogroup-specific Y and W135 oligonucleotide probes. The serogroup-specific W135 and Y PCR ELISA is a useful addition to currently available serogroup B and C assay for non-culture diagnosis of meningococcal infection and outbreak investigation.