Innate Immune Response
While not much research has been done regarding the immune responses to N. meningitidis, researchers have observed that immunity seems to be depend on serum IgG and complement, which together have the ability to elicit bactericidal activity; those individuals who recover fom infection tend to retain immunity for life (Robinson et al., 2002). Reserch has additionally shown that "athough colonization with a variety of meningococcal strains throughout life appears to be beneficial in inducing immune responses, colonization is not protective against subsequent recolonization with the homologous strain or a heterologous strain and is not always protective against invasive disease" (Robinson et al., 2002).
More research is drastically needed to better understand the role of the innate immune response to N. meningitidis infection.
References:
Robinson, K., et al. "Characterization of humoral and cellular immune responses elicited by meningococcal carriage." Infection & Immunity 70.3 (2002): 1301–09.
Yazdankhak, Siamak P., and Dominique A. Caugant. "Neisseria meningitidis: an overview of the carrier stage." Journal of Medical Microbiology 53 (2004): 821-32.
Links:
Email questions or comments to Jordan Sullivan.