Genomic analysis of Neisseria meningitidis carriage isolates during an outbreak of serogroup C clonal complex 11, Tuscany, Italy.

Meningococcal carriage isolates collected during the MenC:cc11 outbreak were characterized by an extensive genetic diversity. The lack of outbreak-related isolates among carriage might be attributable to the high transmissibility with low duration of colonization of MenC:cc11 meningococci.