About 10% of adults are carriers of the bacteria in. Neisseria meningitidis nm is a gramnegative bacterium. Neisseria meningitidis will attach to the microvilli of nonciliated columnar epithelial cells that reside in the nasal region of humans. The first definitive description of the disease was by vieusseux in switzerland in 1805. Neisseria meningitidis to functional significance of factor h binding. Neisseria meningitidis is an extracellular pathogen, meaning that it colonizes and proliferates in the extracellular fluid and blood. To escape the bodys defences, the major asset of n. It causes the sexually transmitted genitourinary infection gonorrhea as well as other forms of gonococcal disease including disseminated gonococcemia, septic arthritis, and gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum. It is a serious condition that can be life threatening. K v chakradhar assistant professor department of microbiology nriims 2. Notes on classification, morphology, colony characteristics, biochemical properties, serogroups, virulence factors, pathogenesis, clinical syndrome, epidemiology, prophylaxis and laboratory diagnosis of neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis meningococcus infectious disease a grampositive coccus which is part of the normal nasopharyngeal flora. Geographic distribution and epidemic potential differ according to serogroup. Virulence evolution of the human pathogen neisseria.
Neisseria are less nutritiondemanding aerobic bacteria that can grow easily on agar medium. The fact that this bacteria is gram negative means that there is very little or no peptidoglycan in the cell wall. Though the analysis of the genomic content has only been reported for the gonococcus, the genus neisseria encompasses a number of pathogenic and commensal bacteria. Differences between neisseria meningitidis and neisseria gonorrhoeae. Influence of host and bacterial factors during neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis bacteria are normally found in the nose and throat of 10 15% of healthy adults. Endotoxin, capsule, and bacterial attachment contribute to. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Morphology capsulated gram negative cocci in pairs diplococci 0. Pathogenic bacteria have evolved numerous mechanisms to evade the human immune system and have developed widespread resistance to traditional antibiotics. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as gonococcus, is a species of gramnegative coffee beanshaped diplococci that typically appear in pairs with the opposing sides flattened. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent meningococcal disease.
For reasons that are still largely unknown, the meningococcus can sometimes invade the pharyngeal mucosal epithelium causing septicemia or acute bacterial meningitis. Unlike a cold or the flu, the bacteria that cause meningitis cannot be spread by casual contact or by breathing the air where an infected person has been. We studied the human pathogen neisseria meningitidis and present evidence of novel mechanisms of resistance to the human antimicrobial peptide ll37. Entry of neisseria meningitidis into mammalian cells. The bacterium neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus, causes meningococcal meningitis. Neisseria meningitidis is the one with the potential to cause large epidemics. Neisseria meningitidis haemophilus influenzae streptococcus pneumoniae streptococcus pyogenes group a strep neisseria meningitidis is immediately reportable on first knowledge or suspicion of the diagnosis due to the potential need for prophylaxis of close contacts within 24 hours of suspected diagnosis suspicion is. Laboratory methods for the diagnosis of meningitis centers for. The bacteria are spherical, ranging in diameter from 0. Neisseria meningitidis, the causative agent of meningitis and septicemia, is able to attach to and invade a variety of cell types.
Meningococcal disease public health fact sheet fact sheet. Many are arranged in pairs with a flat adjacent surface. Neisseria meningitidis the meningococcus is the cause of epidemic cerebrospinal fever, clusters and sporadic cases of acute bacterial meningitis, 15,6 mild bacteremia to devastating septicemia, pneumonia, and, less commonly, septic arthritis, pericarditis, chronic bacteremia, conjunctivitis, epiglottitis, otitis, sinusitis, urethritis, and proctitis. This bacteria can infect the blood, causing septicemia. We also acknowledge previous national science foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 14739. We found that fh retains its activity as a cofactor of factor i when bound to the bacterium and contributes to the ability of n. Sometimes the bacteria invade the body and cause certain illnesses, which are known as meningococcal disease. Neisseria meningitidis, colonization, hostbacteria interactions, lactate, biofilms, polynucleotide. Clinical evidence suggests these isolates may represent an emerging urethrotropic clade.
Most of the neisseria species are commensal organisms that inhabit the nasopharynx. The bacteria are able to multiply and form a colony because of its ability to acquire iron from the host. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of infringement. Mortality can be very high if the infection is not treated appropriately, and longterm sequelae can be severe even in successfully managed cases. Meningococcal disease is a disease caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis. The neisseria meningitidis bacterium is usually spread through close, personal or prolonged contact with respiratory or oral secretions. Neisseria meningitidis the meningococcus causes significant morbidity and mortality in children and young adults worldwide through epidemic or sporadic meningitis andor septicemia. Illness believed to be meningococcal disease was first reported in the 16th century. Our organism for the day likes it to the degree that makes it live in chocolate agar. At a clinic in indianapolis, indiana, usa, we observed an increase in neisseria gonorrhoeaenegative men with suspected gonococcal urethritis who had urethral cultures positive for n.
Primary culture and presumptive identification of neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis mechanisms of pathogenicity. Bacteria are responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord. Neisseria meningitidis an overview sciencedirect topics. During periods of endemic disease, about 10 % of the general population harbour neisseria meningitidis in the nasopharynx. Meningococcal meningitis is caused by the bacteria neisseria meningitidis, and. Neisseria meningitidis haemophilus influenzae streptococcus pneumoniae streptococcus agalactiae group b strep streptococcus pyogenes group a strep.
In children and teens, meningococcus is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. Shape neisseria meningitidis is an oval or spherical coccus shape bacterium with the adjacent side flattened size the size of neisseria meningitidis is about 0. Neisseria cells may have a capsule and pili, but no endospores and flagella. Most carrier isolates are shown to lack capsule production. Most neisseria cells are spherical, but occasionally short rods are observed with a diameter of 0. Neisseria meningitidis, often referred to as meningococcus, is a gramnegative bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a lifethreatening sepsis. Pdf bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, including the pia, arachnoid, and. Neisseria meningitidis is a gramnegative diplococcus bacterium that is responsible for endemic and epidemic meningococcal meningitis and fulminant meningococcemia munford 2001.
Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis in the. About 1 in 10 people have these bacteria in the back of their nose and throat without being ill. Neisseria meningitidis gram negative ovalspherical cocci 0. It can also infect the covering of the brain and spinal cord, causing meningitis. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as gonococcus singular, or gonococci plural is a species of gramnegative diplococci bacteria isolated by albert neisser in 1879. Neisseria meningitidis is a commensal exclusively of the human nasopharynx that is carried by about 20% of the human population. The first is a meningococcal conjugate vaccine which protects against four serogroups a, c, w, and y and is referred to as mcv4. Neisseria meningitidis is prevented through two types of vaccines. Meningococcus, the bacterium neisseria meningitidis, which causes meningococcal meningitis in humans, who are the only natural hosts in which it causes disease. Even if treated quickly, meningococcal disease can cause longterm problems or be deadly. Immunology and vaccinepreventable diseases pink book.
They are both gram negative diplococci, nonsporing, oxidase positive and difficult to differentiate on morphological and cultural characteristics. Part of the explanation for this phenomenon is the fact that meningitis due to neisseria meningitidis tends to strike young, previously well individuals and can progress over a matter of hours to death. Meningococcal disease can lead to meningitis or bloodstream infection. Meningococcal disease 14 meningococcal disease is an acute, potentially severe illness caused by the bacterium. The value of monitoring antimicrobial resistance is particularly significant for neisseria meningitidis and neisseria gonorrhoeae diseases, even if it is for different reasons. Viral meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and is caused by an infection with one of several types of viruses. Bacteria called neisseria meningitidis cause meningococcal disease. Neisseria meningitidis the bacterium neisseria meningitidis, the meningococcus, is identical in its staining and morphological characteristics to neisseria gonorrhoeae. About 10% of adults are carriers of the bacteria in their nasopharynx. Pdf invasive infections caused by neisseria meningitidis are a serious public health problem worldwide and have a heavy economic impact. There were an average of 18 cases of meningococcal disease each year in oklahoma between 2005 and 2009. It can be caused by a variety of organisms that include bacteria, fungi or viruses. Meningitidis is described as a gramnegative diplococci.
Oklahoma state department of health 012018 revised neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease 1 neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease i. It was isolated by anton weichselbaum in 1887 and designated as diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis. Gramnegative bacteria that can be used for diverse. Several different bacteria can cause meningitis and neisseria meningitidis is one of the most important causative agents because of its potential to cause. The bacterium is referred to as a coccus because it is round, and more specifically, diplococcus because of its tendency to form pairs.
Half a million cases of infection with this organism occur worldwide each year. Difference in virulence between neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis and neisseria gonorrhoeae, are obligate human pathogens that cause distinctly different disease syndromes. Pdf neisseria meningitidis b vaccines researchgate. We found that bacteria attached to host epithelial cells are resistant to 10. Neisseria meningitidis, often referred to as meningococcus, is a gram negative bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a lifethreatening sepsis. Use of this feed is for personal noncommercial use only. Rarely, the bacteria can enter areas of the body where bacteria are normally not found and cause a severe, lifethreatening infection invasive disease known as meningococcal disease. In a small number of persons, the bacteria penetrate the. Neisseria meningitidis is a bacterium that infects humans exclusively. Genomic content of neisseria species journal of bacteriology. The second is a vaccine against neisseria meningitidis serogroup b and is referred to as menb. Neisseria meningitidis st11 complex isolates associated. Neisseria meningitidis is a gramnegative diplococci spheres clumped in pairs bacteria.
Neisseria meningitidis is a bacteria that is best known for its role in endemic bacterial meningitis. Differences between neisseria meningitidis and neisseria. Neisseria meningitidis was first posted on april 16, 2020 at 7. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. There are more than 500,000 reported cases of meningococcal disease per year, with an estimated annual death toll of 5,000 zimmer and stephens 2004.