Neisseria Meningitidis

(2)N.meningitidis belongs to the family Neisseriaceae. When it was first being identified in 1887, the scientists found Neisseria meningitidis as a fastidious, encapsulated, non-spore forming, non-motile, non acid-fast aerobic gram-negative diplococcus bacterium. It appears in kidney bean shape under the microscope and it is 0.5-1 micrometer in size. The bacteria need an environment with about 5% CO2 for normal growth. The preferred incubation temperature is around 35-37°C. The capsule that N. Meningitidis has is not only an important virulence factor, but also is used to distinguish the twelve serogroups of the pathogen. Each serogroup possesses different pathogenicity, immunogenicity, and epidemic capabilities. Four of the serotypes (A, B, C, and W-135) are responsible for most of the epidemics in the world. Serotype A is most commonly seen in Africa and Asia; whereas Serotype B can be mostly found in America.

Once the gonococci gain entrance into the mucous membranes of these areas, they target columnar non-ciliated epithelial cells. Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses a type IV pilus (twitches, forms bundles and able to take up DNA) to anchor itself at the infection site. The pilE gene has been found to be the main factor for adherence to epithelial cells. In a study, missense mutations of the pilE gene revealed altered fiber morphology. PilE mutants had a defect in filament assembly, hence, less adherence to human epithelial cells. In a wild type sample there are significant interconnections of cells, then compared to a sample with a missense PilE polypeptide, we can see reduced interconnections of the cells and filamentous structure. These defects only are expressed when the pilT gene is activated.

Opacity proteins known as Opa and Opc are expressed on the outer membrane of N. meningitidis. While the specific role of these opacity proteins in the adhesion of N. meningitidis to host cells is currently unknown, there has been indication that during inflammation Opa and Opc can aid in the attachment and invasion of host cells

One of the four different types of meningitis is bacterial meningitis. Neisseria meningitides is a bacterium that is seen to be the main cause of bacterial meningitis. There are multiple forms of this type of bacterium; therefore more than on strain exists of this

In September 2012, the United States faced an issue of unprecedented number and range of impact. It was during this time that the United States faced its largest fungal meningitis outbreak to be documented. (Smith) The first documentation of the fungal meningitis occurred in ten individuals in Tennessee and North Carolina shortly after October 1, 2012. (Morbidity and Mortality) The investigation into the outbreak began with the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) working alongside local and state healthcare agencies which would report the numbers of infection. (Smith) These investigations which spanned the entire nation focused on preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) originating from a single compounding

strains can also utilize iron. The bacteria bind only to human proteins carrying iron. This

Phylogenetic trees are a useful tool in looking at individuals (Hill et al. 2016). Knowing this, we can look at the evolutionary history of that particular bacteria, and discover how it has evolved. Phylogeny can trace closely related bacterial species to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. From this, we can discover characteristics that have been derived in gonorrhea that differ from the common ancestor of the bacterial species. N. menigitidis and N. lactamica are the closely the evolutionary history of diseases. The bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae was primarily found within infected related bacterial species to N. gonorrhoeae (Bennett 2007). Each pathogen is known to effect humans. Since N. gonorrhoeae have uniformity, the closely related species help to sort out and identify these strains using multilocus sequence typing (Bennett 2007). The uniformity in the strains of gonorrhea suggest they have a fitness that is

If I received the NH Grant, I would use the money to further my knowledge and study of Neagleria fowleri. Neagleria fowleri is an amoebaflagellate and amoebas are microscopic single-celled organism. N.fowleri was first discovered in 1965 in Australia by scientist M. Fowler and R.F. Carter, but N.fowleri is most commonly found in the United States. When they found N.fowleri, it was a huge discovery. This amoeba showed scientist that an amoeba can function and live in a human host but also in nature. N.fowleri is found mainly in warm bodies of water. There has been 150 documented cases in the United States since 1965-2014. N.fowleri is also extremely deadly; the fatality rate is 99%. The amoeba itself isn’t deadly, the disease that it causes is what kills people. That disease is called Primary amebic meningoencephalitis or PAM. Neagleria fowleri is so rare that many people have never even heard of this amoeba, so with this grant I want to make Neagleria fowleri more known to the public so people know how to prevent this deadly amoeba.

Acharya, T (2013, June 9). Virulence factors produced by Neisseria meningitidis and their role in pathogenesis Retrieved from

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Neisseria gonorrhoeae, commonly known as gonorrhea, is a gram-negative bacteria found in the family Neisseriaceae. This proteobacteria does not form spores, cannot move (have no flagellum), are encapsulated in a bacterial capsule, and are non-acid fast. They are diplococci, found in pairs of round kidney-bean shaped bacteria. They are small, smooth and colourless with flattened sides. These obligate aerobes need oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other nutrient supplementation (usually chocolate agar) to survive. They produce the enzyme β-lactamase, allowing N. gonorrhoeae to resist certain antibiotics. There are 70 known strains of N. gonorrhoeae, and they produce colonies after 18-24 hours of incubation.

1. What type of agar is used for the growth of these bacteria? The identification of N. meningitides, H. influenza and S. pneumonia can be done through the cytology of CSF and through the specifics of colony morphology on blood or chocolate agar.

N. meningitides specifically is carried in nasal mucosa and secretions and concentrates in the nasopharynx of those it will infect (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle, & Cheever, 2010). Once the offending bacteria reach the central nervous system (CNS), it replicates and undergoes lysis, which releases endotoxins (Porth & Matfin, 2009). These cell

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, membranes that surround the brain. This can extend as far as infecting the cerebral spinal fluid on top of causing the tissue to swell. Meningitis comes in two major forms; bacterially and virally. However, having bacterial meningitis is much more severe than viral meningitis. There is a lot more danger in having a bacterial infection within the brain than a viral infection within the brain. What makes bacterial meningitis so lethal is that “even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment is started, 5% to 10% of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. Left untreated, up to 50% of cases may die, (6) or there

Gonorrhoea are fastidious gram-negative, facultative, intracellular and typically appear in pairs (diplococci), in the shape of coffee beans. Among various species of Neisseria that colonize humans, only N. gonorrhoeae is clinically important responsible for transmission through sexual contact (Elias J et al., 2011).They are non-motile, aerobic, capnophilic, non-sporulating, possess pilli to adhere the surfaces of mucous membrane of warm blooded hosts (Janda Wet et al., 2007). The type IV pili (Biais N et al., 2008) operate mechanically similar to a grappling hook, which extend and attach to a substrate that signals the pilus to retract, dragging the cell forward. N. gonorrhoeae are able to pull 100,000 times their own weight, and it has been claimed that the pili used to do so is the strongest biological motor.