A Pharmaceutical Researcher Is Developing a Novel Agent to Prevent

A pharmaceutical researcher is developing a novel agent to prevent meningococcal disease in people exposed to the bacteria.  Pili antigens from Neisseria meningitidis are extracted and used to generate monoclonal antibodies that impair normal pili function.  The antibodies are administered to experimental animals with no prior exposure to N meningitidis.  These animals, along with control animals that had not received the antibodies, are subsequently exposed to the bacteria.  Compared to the control animals, a significantly greater proportion of the animals that received the antibodies remain healthy and develop no symptoms.  The efficacy of these antibodies in preventing meningococcal disease is most likely due to direct interference with which of the following microbial processes?

A) Adhesion to vascular endothelial cells
B) Attachment to nasopharyngeal epithelial cells
C) Hematogenous dissemination
D) Invasion of the meninges
E) Survival inside phagocytes

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