Neisseri Case Study

Meningococcal disease is a disease that can be found worldwide. Meningococcal disease refers to any disease or illness that is caused by the type of bacteria called Neisseria meningitides, also called meningococcus (Meningococcal disease, 2015). The first documented outbreak was over two hundred years ago in Geneva in 1805 which circulated rapidly and killed thirty three people. The first case ever recorded in America was in 1806 in Medford, Massachusetts (Fredericks, n.d.). A European physician, Professor A Weichselbaum, discovered the cause of the mysterious cerebro-spinal meningitis illness in 1887 and Penicillin was the first antibiotic used to fight the disease. In 1978 the first

5. According to your data, which two species that you identified diverged the longest time ago? Staph Aureus and Strep mutans

There are thirteen serogroup classifications of Neisseria meningitidis that fall under the genus Neisseria which are closely related to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Of the thirteen serogroups - A, B, C, D, 29E, H, I K, L, W-135, X, Y, and Z only three genetic strains have been sequenced: Z2491 from serogroup A, MC58 from serogroup B and FAM18 from serogroup C and all three of those strains contain a single circular chromosome that has a GC pair content of 51%. Several strains of this bacteria contain pili which enhances their pathogenicity giving them the purpose to adhere to surfaces, move, and transform their genetics. N. meningitidis are aerobic bacteria containing high catalase and oxidase activity. The reason for a high catalase allows them to compensate for oxidative damage in a low-pressure oxygen environment for their lack of a superoxide dismutase enzyme. Neisseria meningitidis is characterized as a parasitic, aerobic, gram-negative diplococcus that is non-endospore with a niche in the human nasopharyngeal. Its genetics consists of a surface polysaccharide capsule. In addition, their morphological colonies tend to appear smooth, moist and gleaming. The bacterium can produce gamma-glutamylamino-peptidase and typically grow on plates with

in countries throughout the meningitis belt of Africa due to the emergence of a new serogroup. The best way to avoid epidemics are to establish surveillance and early detection, followed by mass emergency vaccination campaigns. Surveillance is conducted worldwide through International Disease Notification. Also in the United States by NETSS, and NCID Emerging Infection Program's Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs). (CDC, 2004)

Meningococcal Meningitis is the infection and inflammation of the meninges. Newborns and infants are at greatest risk for contracting bacterial meningitis with Neisseria meningitides being the typical pathogen in the majority of children age 2 months through 12 years (London, Ladewig, Ball, Bindler, & Cowen, 2011). There is a mortality rate of 10% for children who develop meningitis from this particular bacterium (Muller, 2013).

By the way: • Name some acid dyes, some basic dyes. • An acid dye stains the _____ while a basic dye stains the _____. • Given a staining procedure be able to tell me whether a dye used in it is acidic or basic. • Name a gram negative bacteria studied in lab. • Name a gram positive bacteria studied in lab.

N. meningitidis and the diseases that it is responsible for are diagnosed by blood samples or a spinal tap to retrieve cerebrospinal fluid samples. Since the bacteria grows fastidious and is oxidase positive, it is preferred to grow it on a blood agar plate or a chocolate agar plate at temperatures ranging from 35-37 degrees Celsius. It can be identified using the Kovac’s oxidase test and if a positive result is found it should be followed with a carbohydrate utilization test. If this too shows N.meningitidis then a serological test should be performed to determine which strain is present. The strains of A, B, C, Y and W135 are the only known associated with humans and disease. Strain B is a weaker form and does not generate an adequate immune response therefore natural infection is capable of generating some immunity. It is also important in the lab testing of N. meningitidis to remember that the bacteria is capable of fermenting maltose in cultures which would set it apart from N. gonorrhoeae. It is imperative to utilize the Biosafety Level 2 to prevent contamination in lab workers. Most strains and diseases caused by N. meningitidis are treated with the administration of intravenous penicillin in a natural form. Ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin or rifampin as well as Chloramphenicol in children are used in treatment. It is also advised that anyone who may be exposed to the disease be treated with prophylactic treatment in order to prevent secondary infections. The treatment

First a thin smear of bacteria, placed on a clean slide, covered with crystal violet stain for 1 minute. Next, completion of a wash and then an iodine solution is added to the smear to enhance staining for 1 minute. Being rinsed again in water and then 95% ethanol for one minute. Washing the violet stain off will differentiate between the two types of bacteria. If the bacteria retains the violet color, it means they are gram positive, while the others without strain are gram negative. The cell wall of the gram positive bacteria has a thick outer layer made up of peptidoglycan and the cell plasma membrane causing the stain to stick. The gram negative bacteria has an outer layer made up of lipopolysaccharides and proteins and then a thin layer of peptidoglycan and the plasma membrane. The lipids from the outer membrane dissolve with the ethanol wash, causing them to lose the violet stain. After the ethanol wash, the smear is washed in water and stained with safranin for one minute allowing for the gram negative bacteria visualization. Before the

All living things have thousands upon thousands of chemical reactions that are constantly occurring simultaneously at such a fast rate within the organism (1). Enzymes are high energy proteins that cause the catalyzation (addition of energy needed for a reaction to take place) of chemical reactions in living organisms (1). The amount of an enzyme present in a solution can be measured in enzyme units (U) which is the amount of activity that it takes to catalyze the conversion of 1 micromole of substrate per minute (2). In this lab, wheat germ was purified to determine the protein concentration and how much acid phosphatase activity is present in each step of the purification process. Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that is needed to catalyze the

The main research for meningitis is located in the UK. There are 12 projects in our ongoing research programme in addition to MRF Meningococcus Genome Library. That is the current study. It was found in 1989 and has been rewarded 147 research grants. The total investment they have gained is over 18.6 million dollars. Their research methods are on prevention, the study of protection, investigating the transmission on newborn babies, assessing the benefits of vaccines, and more. It is important to explore all this so we have the right knowledge of the

Since its first reported case in the early 19th century, the Meningococcal infection, which formulates as a result of the bacterium Neisseria Meningitidis, has remained a potentially life-threatening disease that continues to be fatal throughout the world today. The disease itself is a product of bacterial Meningitis, which primarily affects membrane functions in the brain and spinal cord. Like all diseases, Meningococcal has the propensity to inflict damage by impairing the “normal state” of an organism, interrupting its ability to function in any shape or form, and thereby inhibiting its ability to survive (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2015). Little unlike other virulent bacterial microorganisms of its class, Neisseria Meningitidis produces

Meningitis occurs from microbes binding to nasopharyneal cells in an individual and then cross the mucosal barrier

This helps the bacterium stick to cells very easily. The bacteria produce lipopolysaccharide endotoxins. These toxins promote virulence. The lipopolysaccharide of Neisseria meningitides is highly toxic. Another factor that adds to its virility is the antiphagocytic capsule. The pathogens produce IgA proteases this promotes virulence. Many people carry Neisseria meningitides in their upper respiratory tract, but is not part of normal flora. It is only found after sexual contact with an infected person. The bacteria can attach to microvilli of non-ciliated columnar epithelial cells and not ciliated cells. After, this process of attachment by the fallopian tube they are surrounded by the microvilli that draw them to the surface of the mucosal cell. During this process, the membrane retracts and disconnect off a membrane-bound vacuole that contains the bacteria. The vacuole is transported to the base of the cell, where the bacteria are released by exocytosis into the sub-epithelial tissue. Other factors that can contribute to gonorrhoeae can be influenced by the women hormonal changes the cervical mucus may allow passage of organisms and the factor if blood during menstrual uterine which makes this easier into the entry into the fallopian tubes. This is a prime example of how the passage of gonococci can cross over form the uterus and travel to the fallopian tubes, which can cause pain and in other

Both of these diseases affect humans in diferent ways. The causative agent of meningitidis is Neisseria meningitidis. Some symptoms of this disease in infants start out as irrtability, the infant would not eat, and then vomiting which could lead to dehydration. (Todar, 15) As the meningitis get worse the infant may have apnea, seizures, disturbances in their motor skills, and even may develop into a coma. (Todar 15) The reason why meninigitis is so dangerous is because this disease makes the meninges in the spinal cord or brain become inflammed. In children and adults the symptoms start out with a headache then esclates to nausea, vomiting, skin rash and even photophobia which means being sensitive to the light.(Todar, 15) Also there are neurological problems that can form from meningitis. “..approximately one-third of patients have convulsions or coma when first seen by a physician.” States Kenneth Todar,PhD, in the article Pathogenic Neisseriae:gonorrhea and meningitis. Treatment for meningitidis is penicillin. (Todar, 18) One can get the meningoccal disease by association with infected individulas, nut they can prevent transmission by taking other medication such as antibiotic if the disease is in their home. (Todar,

The Meningococcal infection is a potentially life-threatening bacterial disease that continues to be fatal in numerous parts of the world. Since the inception of the first Meningococcal cases in the early 19th century, rates continue to fluctuate today. Of particular note, the World Health Organisation has outlined that there are over 26 countries in the sub-Saharan region alone that are overwhelmingly prone to the infection (WHO, 2015). Despite this, Meningococcal has not been restricted to the sub-Saharan; current estimates determine that 1.2 million cases arise globally every year. This is primarily due to the fact that the bacterium which causes the Meningococcal disease, the Neisseria Meningitidis, is a carrier bacterium which can be found