Comprehensive Bioinformatic Assessments of the Variability of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Vaccine Candidates
Benjamin I. Baarda, Ryszard A. Zielke, Alaina K. Holm, Aleksandra E. Sikora
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae , the Gram-negative bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea, is categorized as a high-priority pathogen for research and development efforts. N. gonorrhoeae ’s “superbug” status, its high morbidity, and the serious health impact associated with gonorrhea highlight the importance of vaccine development. One of the longstanding barriers to developing an effective vaccine against N. gonorrhoeae is the remarkable variability of surface-exposed antigens.
Topics & Concepts
Neisseria gonorrhoeaeGonorrheaNeisseria meningitidisBiologyAntigenNeisseriaAntigenic variationTypingSerotypeAllelePhase variationMultilocus sequence typingGeneticsVirologyVirulenceMicrobiologyGeneGenotypeBacteriaHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)Bacterial Infections and VaccinesReproductive tract infections researchMicrobial infections and disease research