Research is needed to better understand the perception of dental

Research is needed to better understand the perception of dental pain in comparison with pain in other organs. To investigate relations between the perceptions of dental and somatic pain complaints among school-age children. One hundred and two children, aged 7–17 years (mean age, 11.5 ± 2.65 years), completed questioners regarding their somatic and dental: 1. Memory pain rank (MPR) and 2. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (FRS). Children reported increased dental pain after school

in both scales (P = 0.015 in MPR). In both MPR and FRS, the pattern of pain ranking was similar: Abdominal pain was scored highest (2.75 ± 1.4 and 1.56 ± 1.63, respectively), followed by headache, ear, dental and TMJ (Temporomandibular joint). There was a strong correlation between pain perception and current pain scores in every organ. Somatic

pain, namely head, abdomen PD-0332991 ic50 and ears, was ranked selleck products significantly higher than dental and TMJ pain. School-aged children rank current pain and pain experience significantly lower while they are pre-occupied (school time) in comparison with times when they are less busy (after school time). “
“International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 356–362 Background.  In a randomized double-blinded clinical trial, preschool children used sucrose or xylitol chewing gum regularly for 2 months to study the preventive effect of xylitol on acute otitis media (AOM). Salivary mutans streptococci (sm) levels of the children were measured before the exposure. Those with ≥105sm CFU in 1 mL saliva were considered

to have high sm levels (sm+); and those with <105 CFU low sm levels (sm−). Aim.  This practice-based study aims to evaluate long-term dental effects of the sucrose/xylitol exposure on primary teeth. Design.  For analyses, individuals were divided into sub groups according to their study group in the original AOM trial and baseline sm levels. Outcome Mephenoxalone events owing to dental caries of their all primary teeth were followed from dental records up to 12 years. Survival of teeth caries free was determined by Kaplan–Meier method and analysed statistically by Wilcoxon testing. Results.  Survival of primary teeth caries free of children with high sm levels in the sucrose group was significantly shorter compared with all other groups when followed until shedding. Conclusions.  Two months’ regular exposure to sucrose was sufficient to induce dental caries in primary teeth of children with elevated sm levels at baseline. “
“International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2011; 21: 314–320 Background.  Adhesive procedures are often required to restore teeth affected by hypocalcified amelogenesis imperfecta (HAI). Aim.  To evaluate the hardness of enamel/dentin of teeth affected by HAI and the bond strength to these substrates, as well the influence of 5% NaOCl on bond strength. Design.  Permanent molars presenting HAI and sound third molars were used. Enamel surfaces were wet-flattened and Knoop hardness was assessed.

We assessed the production of OMVs from K pneumoniae ATCC 13883

We assessed the production of OMVs from K. pneumoniae ATCC 13883 during in vitro culture. Bacteria were cultured in LB broth, and OMVs were purified from culture supernatants. TEM analysis showed that K. pneumoniae-derived vesicles were spherical bilayered structures with diameters of 20–200 nm (Fig. 1a). No bacteria or protein contaminants were observed. The small-sized OMVs with diameters of approximately 20–30 nm were commonly observed, whereas relatively

large-sized vesicles with diameters of > 50 nm were less commonly observed. This result suggests that K. pneumoniae produces and secretes OMVs into the extracellular milieu during in vitro culture. Klebsiella pneumoniae OMVs were subjected to SDS-PAGE. Many protein bands were identified in the K. pneumoniae OMVs, but the protein profiles were different between OMVs and whole-cell lysates (Fig. 1b), KU-60019 price suggesting the absence of bacterial contaminants. Proteomic analysis was conducted to identify proteins in the OMVs from K. pneumoniae ATCC 13883. We identified

159 proteins in the K. pneumoniae OMVs (Supporting Information, Table S1). The proteins identified in the K. pneumoniae ABT-199 clinical trial OMVs were predicted to occur in the extracellular space (n = 13), outer membrane (n = 24), periplasmic space (n = 25), inner membrane (n = 13) and cytoplasm (n = 84). Of the proteins identified in the K. pneumoniae OMVs, the outer membrane protein X, murein lipoprotein, phage shock protein: Thymidine kinase activates phage shock-protein expression, putative uncharacterized protein ygdR and 30S ribosomal protein S20 were the most abundant among the proteins located in the

outer membrane, periplasmic space, inner membrane, extracellular space and cytoplasm, respectively. These results suggest that K. pneumoniae OMVs contain numerous proteins originating from inner membrane and cytoplasm as well as outer membrane and periplasmic space. OMVs are naturally secreted products of Gram-negative bacteria, and OMV production appears to be a conserved process among Gram-negative bacteria (Beveridge, 1999; Kuehn & Kesty, 2005; Kulp & Kuehn, 2010). Additionally, Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis also produce membrane-derived vesicles (Lee et al., 2009; Rivera et al., 2010; Gurung et al., 2011). Deatherage et al. (2009) proposed the OMV biogenesis model in Salmonella typhimurium. During bacterial growth and division, localized reductions in the density of outer membrane–peptidoglycan and outer membrane–peptidoglycan–inner membrane associations result in the bulging and release of the outer membrane as OMVs. Based on this model, OMVs only reflect the outer membrane and periplasmic components. However, cytoplasmic and inner membrane proteins have been identified in OMVs from E. coli (Lee et al., 2008), H. pylori (Olofsson et al., 2010) and Acinetobacter baumannii (Kwon et al., 2009).

The availability

of effective antiretroviral therapies fr

The availability

of effective antiretroviral therapies from 1997 onwards altered EPZ5676 order the distribution of the incubation period in ways that are difficult to quantify. The interpretation of trends in both AIDS case reporting and HIV infection reporting must take into account the effect of treatment in slowing disease progression and the effect of test-seeking behaviour on the numbers and characteristics of persons being tested for HIV. When monotherapy was the main treatment option, models of the epidemic were adjusted for estimates of its effect on the incubation period from infection to AIDS, but the complexities and stronger effects of the multiple therapies now available have made treatment adjustment too uncertain for use in the modelling. learn more Methods of estimating HIV incidence rates based on the results of the HIV test and a test for a biomarker have been under investigation [2–4]. Although

these methods provide a very up-to-date and revealing snapshot of the epidemic, the technology used to detect recent infections is still quite new and expensive. The methodology that we used in this study does not require a test for a biomarker and makes maximal use of all available HIV/AIDS data sources in Australia’s surveillance databases, including ‘newly diagnosed HIV infections’, ‘newly acquired HIV infections’ and ‘AIDS diagnoses’, to estimate trends in HIV HA-1077 mouse incidence. As there is no established statistical model to link HIV incidence to HIV diagnosis

with respect to HIV testing patterns, the current methodology assumed that, if an individual was infected before, or during, a certain year, it was more likely that this individual sought an HIV diagnostic test at the onset of clinical symptoms. However, as HIV testing became more widely available and promoted, individuals infected in later years tended to be more likely to seek testing independent of the onset of clinical symptoms. Surveillance systems based on the reporting of AIDS cases also do not provide a completely up-to-date picture of the trend of the HIV epidemic, highlighting the need for methods with which to estimate the incidence of HIV infection accurately. In recent years in Australia, there have been increasing numbers of HIV diagnoses in some states and territories, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) [5]. In this study, we used modified back-projection modelling to estimate the incidence of HIV infection in an attempt to assess whether increases in HIV notifications in recent years truly reflect increases in the underlying incidence of HIV infection.

, 2009) Protein extract (20 μL) was mixed with solution UA (200 

, 2009). Protein extract (20 μL) was mixed with solution UA (200 μL; 8 M urea in H2O, pH 8.5). This solution was loaded onto a 10-kDa

cut-off filter spin filter and centrifuged (14 000 g, 40 min). The retentate was washed three times with solution UA and the flow-through discarded. Then a solution of iodoacetamide (100 μL; 0.05 M in-solution UA) was added to the filter and incubated for 5 min. The filters were then centrifuged (14 000 g, 30 min) and washed twice with selleck compound a urea solution (100 μL; 8 M in H2O, pH 8.0). After each wash, the filter units were centrifuged (14 000 g; 40 min). Dimethyl labeling was performed essentially as described by Boersema et al. (2009). Briefly, the isolated proteins on the filter device were subjected to a Lys-C digestion. The resulting peptides were reconstituted in 100 mM TEAB buffer (Sigma, St. Louis, MO). Samples for ‘light’ labeling were mixed with formaldehyde (4% in H2O; Sigma). Samples for ‘heavy’ labeling were mixed with formaldehyde-D2 (4% in H2O; Sigma). Both samples were then mixed with freshly prepared sodium cyanoborohydride (0.6 M). After incubation for 1 h at room temperature, the reaction was quenched with ammonia

solution (1% v/v) and TFA. The acidified samples were desalted on StageTips made from C18 disks excised from Empore High Performance Extraction Disks (3M, St. Paul, MN) in a pipette tip (Rappsilber et al. 2007). Peptide mixtures were separated by find more nanoLC using an Agilent 1200 nanoflow system connected to either an LTQ Orbitrap XL or LTQ FT Ultra mass spectrometer (both from Thermo Electron, Bremen, Germany) equipped with a nanoelectrospray ion source (Proxeon Biosystem, Odense, Denmark). Chromatographic separation of the peptides took place in an in-house packed 20 cm fused silica emitter

(75-μm i.d.) with reverse-phase ReproSil-Pur C18-AQ (3 μm) resin (Maisch GmbH, Ammerbuch-Entringen, Germany). Peptides were injected onto the column (flow rate 500 nL min−1) and eluted with a flow of 250 nL min−1 from 5% to 40% acetonitril P-type ATPase in 0.5% acetic acid over 2 h. A ‘top 6’ acquisition method was set up on the mass spectrometer, utilizing the high mass accuracy of the Orbitrap for intact peptides and the speed and sensitivity of the LTQ (iontrap) for fragment spectra. The initial scan event was the intact peptide mass spectrum in the Orbitrap with range m/z 300–1800 and resolution R = 60 000 at m/z 400. Six CID fragmentation spectra in the iontrap (AGC target 5000, maximum injection time 150 ms) of the six most intense ions from the Orbitrap scan were recorded. Dynamic exclusion (2.5 min) and charge state screening requiring charge 2+ or more were enabled. The obtained tandem MS spectra were matched against theoretical spectra from a protein sequence database derived from the Cba. tepidum genome (GenBank acc. no. NC_002932) using Mascot (Matrix Science Ltd; www.matrixscience.com).

Preliminary results from the study show that hepatitis B screenin

Preliminary results from the study show that hepatitis B screening tests were ordered in 12.2% of encounters C59 wnt in active intervention clinics and 5.5% in passive intervention clinics, indicating that assisting providers with best practice order sets may be more effective than passive educational interventions. Uptake by clinicians on the best practice alert is low, perhaps reflecting time pressure in clinic practice as well as “best practice alert fatigue.” As predicted, we are finding previously undiagnosed carriers for hepatitis B: 8 of 245 (3.26%) of the patients tested in the first 4 months of the study were

found to be HBV carriers (PF Walker, E Parker, C Enstad et al., unpublished data). Such levels are significantly higher than Dabrafenib the overall US prevalence for HBV of 0.27%,[5] and similar to those found in the Boston study published in the 20.1 issue of the Journal.[4] For many

patients, “Where were you born and where have you traveled?” is a stronger predictor of disease risk than race or ethnicity.[16] A checklist approach, based on country of origin and disease prevalence, can be more broadly applied to many other health issues facing globally mobile populations, and can provide evidence-based best practices that are made available real time, via EMRs or handheld applications, to clinicians caring for globally mobile populations. In addition, concerted outreach to communities at higher risk of HBV infection, including the last-minute and VFR travelers, may help with improving patient knowledge and uptake of HBV immunization. Ethnic-specific media including print, radio, and television programs have been shown to be effective outreach tools, such as the ECHO program[17] and the Hajj Travelers Outreach Project (C. Bowron,

personal communication). Loo and Pryce are piloting a laminated card for patients to carry that would alert providers to the need to screen them for hepatitis B, an ideal intersection of education for both patients and their providers.[18] Recommendations from travel medicine providers should consider countries with greater than 2% hepatitis B prevalence: if patients were born in such countries, screen to be certain they are not already carriers; if patients are traveling to such countries, they should be offered HBV vaccination. Travel clinicians should work to heighten awareness on the Epothilone B (EPO906, Patupilone) part of patients, primary care providers, and travel medicine colleagues toward screening and immunization for hepatitis B, a vaccine-preventable cancer. This research was funded by the Program in Health Disparities Research, University of Minnesota, and conducted with the support of HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research staff. The author states that she has no conflicts of interest. “
“16th Ed , 188 pp , paperback with illustrations, AUD24.95 , ISBN 978-0-9577179-8-5 , Brisbane, Australia : Dr Deborah Mills , 2010 . http://www.drdeb.com.au .

8,9 However, studies referring specifically to traveling children

8,9 However, studies referring specifically to traveling children are scarce which may partially be explained by the fact that most of the young children of immigrant families cannot be considered as immigrants since they have been born in Western countries and therefore have a susceptibility to endemic tropical diseases which is more similar to that of a tourist than to that of their parents.10,11 Thus, the CVFR population combines a personal risk due to their age-linked vulnerability Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor with a situation of environmental risk related to contact with the local population and frequent accommodation in zones with poor hygienic

standards.12,13 Nearly 78% of the children were CVFR. This fact reflects learn more the high immigration density of the Barcelona North Metropolitan area (with districts such as El Fondo and Sant Roc, accounting for over 45%) thus demonstrating the emerging population of children participating in VFR trips.14,15 Overall, this population has little mother-to-child transmitted or acquired immunity to tropical pathogens since 83% had been born in the EU by long-settled immigrant women.16,17

Therefore, free access to International Health Units with prevention programs preventive activities (specifically immunization and antimalarial chemoprophylaxis) is of a great importance among families with CVFR. The significant predominance of CVFR over tourists was related to a younger age, a longer duration of the trip, a greater frequency of rural stay or private lodging as well as a high probability of consultation in the ineffective period. These findings are coherent with those of other studies and emphasize the close contact with the ecosystem and the non-European society to which these children are exposed. Multivariate analysis Tangeritin identified the main risk factors associated with being a CVFR, with staying in rural areas, visit to the Unit within the ineffective period, and age (the greater the age, the lower the probability of being CVFR).18–22 The presence of a

shorter consultation-travel time interval and a greater proportion of children seen within the ineffective period compared with tourists have been reported by other authors.23 These figures presented here, however, are globally better than those refereed by other studies undertaken in countries in which preventive international health services are entirely private.24 This may be because the Catalan Health System is easily accessible and free of charge for children and is therefore able to reach low-income immigrant families which are the majority in our reference zone. The main destinations for both CVFR and tourists were countries of the Neotropical ecosystem (Meso and South America). By contrast, most studies have reported that the main destinations were countries within the African or Asian Paleotropical biogeographic areas.

In contrast, the fast spiking inhibitory cells recorded in the sa

In contrast, the fast spiking inhibitory cells recorded in the same barrels did not change their intrinsic excitability after the conditioning procedure. The increased excitability of excitatory neurons within the ‘trained’ barrels may represent the counterpart of homeostatic plasticity, which parallels enhanced synaptic inhibition described previously. Together, the two mechanisms would contribute to increase the input selectivity within the conditioned cortical network. “
“Pavlovian stimuli predictive of appetitive outcomes can influence the selection and initiation of instrumental behaviour. For instance, Pavlovian stimuli can act to enhance those actions

with which they share an outcome, but not others with which they do not share an outcome, Staurosporine molecular weight a phenomenon termed outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). Furthermore, Pavlovian stimuli

can invigorate an action by inducing a general appetitive arousal that elevates instrumental buy MK-2206 responding, a phenomenon termed general PIT. The dorsomedial striatum has been implicated in outcome-selective, but not general PIT. However, the role of dopamine (DA) signals in this subregion in mediating PIT is unknown. Here we examined in rats the effects of a 6-hydroxydopamine-induced DA depletion of the anterior (aDMS) or posterior (pDMS) subregion of the dorsomedial striatum on outcome-selective and general PIT as well as on instrumental Carbachol performance on a FR-5 schedule (five lever presses

earned one pellet). Results demonstrate that aDMS and pDMS DA depletions compromised the rate of responding on a FR-5 schedule, suggesting that DA signals in the dorsomedial striatum are necessary to maintain high rates of instrumental responding. By contrast, aDMS and pDMS DA depletions did not affect general PIT, suggesting that DA signals in the dorsomedial striatum do not mediate general activating effects of reward-predictive stimuli to invigorate instrumental responding. Furthermore, aDMS DA depletions did not impair outcome-selective PIT, while pDMS DA depletions had no or only minor effects. Thus, DA signals in the DMS may not be involved in mediating the specific cueing effects of reward-predictive stimuli. “
“Rats are used to model human corticospinal tract (CST) injury and repair. We asked whether rats possess the ability to orient their paw to the reaching target and whether the CST mediates this skill, as it does in primates. To test this ability, called preshaping, we trained rats to reach for pieces of pasta oriented either vertically or horizontally. We measured paw angle relative to the target and asked whether rats used target information attained before contact to preshape the paw, indicating feed-forward control. We also determined whether preshaping improved with practice. We then selectively lesioned the CST in the medullary pyramid contralateral to the reaching forepaw to test whether preshaping relies on the CST.

However, instead of diluting the cell suspension, the DNA was ext

However, instead of diluting the cell suspension, the DNA was extracted from the original suspension. After determining the DNA concentration with a spectrophotometer (NanoDrop ND-1000), the DNA suspensions were then diluted 10-fold with sterile water. The sensitivity of the LAMP and nested PCR tests in the presence of other bacteria was evaluated using a 10-fold serial dilution of H. parasuis serovar

5 Nagasaki strain where each dilution contained a constant amount of E. coli (8 × 107 CFU mL−1). The bacteria were lysated by boiling for 10 min. As template for LAMP and nested PCR tests, 1 and 2 μL of the different dilution was used, respectively. From three pig farms in China, 122 lung tissue samples (n=122) were collected from 122 pigs with obvious respiratory problems. From one pig farm in China, 55 lung tissue samples (n=55) were collected from Selleckchem ATM/ATR inhibitor 55 healthy pigs. Haemophilus parasuis isolation was performed following Zhou et al. (2009). The isolates GSK1120212 purchase were serotyped by the gel diffusion (GD) test on the basis of a method used previously (Cai et al., 2005). Haemophilus parasuis serovar 5 SH0165 strain was isolated from the lung tissue of a pig submitted to the Huazhong Agricultural University, Veterinary Hospital with lesions of

severe polyserositis, polyarthritis and meningitis (Cai et al., 2005). Nine 4-week-old healthy pigs were separated into two groups. Three control pigs were inoculated intratracheally with 3 mL of sterile PBS. Six pigs from the challenge group were experimentally infected with H. parasuis by intratracheal inoculation of 3 mL of a bacterial suspension containing 2 × 109 CFU mL−1. Tissues, swabs and fluid obtained from these animals were submitted for bacterial isolation, nested PCR and LAMP, respectively. The optimal temperature and reaction time, sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assay were, respectively, confirmed

by repeating the procedures at least three times. The significance in the statistical analysis of the clinical study was determined using the χ2-test. P values of <0.05 were regarded Edoxaban as significant. To determine the optimal temperature and time of the LAMP reaction, assays were performed using the DNA extracted from the appropriate amount of pure culture H. parasuis serovar 5 Nagasaki strain and lung tissue homogenate spiked with the same strain as a template, respectively. Amplifications were performed at between 58 and 66 °C; the results showed that a temperature range of 59–66 °C was suitable for detection of the pure culture H. parasuis (Fig. 2a). As the best temperature range of Bst DNA polymerase, 61 °C was selected for the following assays. No amplification of the LAMP products was seen at 15 and 30 min when the pure culture H. parasuis was used as a template; however, amplification of target gene was observed at 45, 50, 55 and 60 min (Fig. 2b).

, 1996) This response is similar to that observed in plants (Tas

, 1996). This response is similar to that observed in plants (Tasaka et al., 2001). Gravitropism in higher fungi has been studied for over 100 years, and the clear association between gravitropism and the onset of sporulation implies that both meiosis and sporulation which are coupled to fruiting body SB203580 datasheet growth seem to require the gravity force (Moore,

1991). An experiment performed under real microgravity conditions in orbit suggests that gravity may be required for the initiation of fruiting in the fungus Polyporus brumalis (Moore, 1991; Zharikova et al., 1977). However, there is no convincing evidence regarding the graviperception mechanism in fungi. To understand the molecular mechanisms of gravitropism, particularly during fruiting body formation in fungi, we attempted to isolate differentially expressed genes from the fruiting bodies of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) cultivated under simulated microgravity conditions using a three-dimensional (3D) clinostat. Fruiting body development in P. ostreatus, one of the most popular

edible mushrooms cultivated in the world (Chang & Miles, 1991), results from the aggregation of vegetatively growing mycelia on sawdust –rice bran medium with formation of primordia that progressively grow into mature fruiting bodies (Zedrazil, 1978). A 3D clinostat is an apparatus that nullifies the effect of gravity. It has been used in substitution find protocol studies to examine the effects of microgravity on biological events in ground-based research, particularly in the field of space biology (Grimm et al., 2002; Higashibata et al., 2006; Hirasaka et al., 2005; Li et al., 2002; Sarkar et al., 2000; Uva et al., 2002; Woods et al., 2003). In studies on plants, it has been fully demonstrated Baf-A1 solubility dmso that a 3D clinostat is an effective and valuable device for simulating weightlessness (Hoson et al., 1997). We examined in detail the differential expression of genes in fruiting bodies of

P. ostreatus under clinostat-rotated (simulated microgravity) and static (fixed to the ground) culture conditions. For this purpose, we used a technique of subtractive hybridization mediated by PCR, cDNA representational difference analysis (cDNA-RDA) (Hubank & Schatz, 1994). This is a powerful technique for the detection of differential gene expressions and is sufficient to reflect a large number of relevant gene transcripts in the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus because we have previously succeeded in isolating over 100 developmentally regulated genes that were specifically transcribed during fruiting body formation in the fungus Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) using cDNA-RDA (Miyazaki et al., 2005). Mycelia of the commercial P. ostreatus strain N36 (Mori & Company Ltd) previously cultured in MYG medium (1% malt extract, 0.4% yeast extract, 0.

In conclusion, besides A hydrophila and V vulnificus, S algae sho

In conclusion, besides A hydrophila and V vulnificus, S algae should

be taken into account if a skin and soft tissue infection after marine exposures is evident. Third-generation cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin empirically cover all three seawater-associated pathogens in an antibiotic treatment. As described here, extensive cutaneous ulcers, besides hemorrhagic bullae, can be caused by S algae see more in immunosuppressed individuals. Shewanella infections primarily arise from colonization of nonhealing wounds, chronic ulcers, or by penetrating traumas with the microorganisms from environmental sources.[10] The authors state that they have no conflicts of interest. “
“To evaluate the prevalence of carriers of Neisseria meningitidis and circulating serogroups, 253 African refugee residents in the Asylum Seeker Center of Bari, Italy, were PLX4032 cell line enrolled. Thirteen subjects (5.1%) were identified as carriers of meningococci. Six (46.1%) strains were autoagglutinable, four (30.8%) belonged to serogroup W135, and three (23.1%) to serogroup Y. Neisseria meningitidis, an obligate pathogen of humans, normally colonizes the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract without causing invasive disease, a phenomenon known as carriage.[1] Up to 5% to 10% of the general population

may be carriers of N. meningitidis.[2] In Europe and North America cases of meningococcal disease usually occur

sporadically.[2] Currently, epidemic disease appears restricted to countries of sub-Saharan Africa, in the so-called meningitis belt, which extends from Ethiopia in the East to Senegal in the West. Meningococci are classified into serogroups on the basis of the composition of the antigen polysaccharide. The five major meningococcal serogroups associated with disease are A, B, C, Y, and W-135, responsible for more than 90% of the invasive disease worldwide.[2] Serogroup Leukotriene-A4 hydrolase A predominates in the meningitis belt. Serogroup B meningococci are the primary concern in industrialized countries, where they have been responsible for hyperendemic waves of disease. Outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal disease occur worldwide, especially in adolescents and young adults. Serogroup Y meningococci have emerged as an important cause of disease in North America in the past 10 years or so, while serogroup W135 have been responsible for epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa since 2002.[1] In Italy, serogroup B and C meningococci are the most common cause of meningococcal meningitis and septicemia.[3] Since 1999, meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccines (MCC) have been available, and in 2005 vaccine was recommended in Italy for children aged 12 to 24 months and for 12-year-old adolescents. A vaccine against serogroup B meningococci is still not available.