Neisseria Meningitis Case Study

Neisseria meningitidis is a fastidious, aerobic, and encapsulated gram-negative diplococcus which infects humans via droplet transmission to and from mucosal surfaces in the nasopharyngeal region. Only humans can be infected with N. meningitidis and the disease manifests in children under two years of age and in young adults. N. meningitidis can be found as normal regional flora of the nasopharynx in some individuals, but when it causes infection leads to meningitis and occasionally septicaemia. The major symptoms of N. meningitidis infection include a stiff neck, high fever, photophobia, confusion, cephalgia and emesis. If the patient’s condition has worsened causing sepsis, they can present with a haemorrhagic rash which is indicative of

Preliminary studies help identify Genus species of bacteria. Two different preliminary study pathways must be used since two different pathogens were found in the sample. A dilution and a quadrant streak are the ideal methods to separate pure cultures of bacteria. MacConkey Agar and CAN (MAC) is a selective media that is used for the cultivation of gram negative bacteria. (PEA) is a selective media that is used

Meningitis can be destructive without proper understanding of what it is caused by. There are three types of meningitis- bacterial, fungal, and viral. Contrasting factors tend to arise during a comparison of them. One of the most notable areas that viral, fungal and bacterial meningitis differ in are their treatment ability. However, they have the same general affects on the human body. In any case, there are tests that doctors can utilize in order to discover if the meningitis is bacterial, fungal, or viral.

N. meningitidis produce an antiphagocytic capsular polysaccharide, which is a coat with highly variable surface proteins, to permit evasiveness. Additional mechanisms such has having a high variable pili and producing high amounts of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide contributes to its pathology. N. meningitidis also happens to require iron reduction as part of their metabolism and growth and therefore validates humans as their optimal reservoirs. Other requirements for bacterial metabolism, growth and virulence are mineral salts, pyruvate, lactate, amino acids (GC), and glutamic acid. When infection occurs, N. meningitidis will aggregate blood cells

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

While time has pass, many disease have born, some of them had had cures, others have just left lost and dead to the human population. Meningitis is a disease, result of the inflammation of the meninges. Meningitis can affect all of us, children’s, adults, adolescents. Thanks to the advance technology, some types of meningitis can be cured. This paper is going to discus, types, treatments and prevention of meningitis.

In 1906 it was first discovered that horses were a viable source to make antibodies that could be used against the meningococcal bacteria. This was then further looked into and made more progress by an American scientist by the name of Simon Flexner. Flexner’s further development of the antibodies from the horses aided in the attempt to lower the mortality rate from the meningococcal disease. (1) The first reported case of using penicillin against meningitis and effectively working was not until over forty years later. Georg Joachmann, in Germany, and Flexner, in America, were the firsts to successfully treat meningitis with introduction of the serum therapy for meningococcal meningitis.

Meningitis - the root “mening” is derived from the Greek Language which means membrane and the medical suffix “itis” means inflammation – is defined as a relatively rare disease caused by the acute inflammation of the protective membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord known as the “meninges”. The meninges which consist of three layers can be inflamed by many infectious pathogens, microorganisms, other living organisms such as fungi and non-infectious conditions that fortunately have many treatment options that can cure meningitis completely.

Recurrent bacterial meningitis is a relatively rare condition. The estimated incidence is 4–9% of patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis. Recurrent cases are often associated with craniopharyngeal structural damage caused by previous trauma, surgical procedure, or immunocompromised state.1

This staining procedure was developed in the 1882, by a Danish bacteriologist, Hans Christian Gram. This technique identifies differences in a bacteria’s cell wall. It utilizes crystal violet (primary stain), Gram’s iodine (mordant), and safranin (counterstain). Most bacteria fall into two categories, Gram positive or gram negative. Gram positive bacteria have a thick layer of peptidoglycan, and techoic acids in their cell walls. This thick peptidoglycan layer retains the crystal violet stain, and displays the cells as a purple color under the microscope. Gram negative bacteria cell walls have significant differences from gram positive bacteria. Gram negative cells have a thin peptidoglycan layer, and do not have techie acids. They also have an outer membrane that is similar to the phospholipid bilayer of a cell membrance. These differences allow the crystal violet stain to rinse away from them, then they retain the safranin stain and appear reddish/pink under the microscope. Although it is very useful, it is not the only tooled needed to identify a bacteria. Some bacteria, are gram-variable, displaying both positive and negative reactions. Other bacteria, such as Mycoplasmas, do not have a cell wall, rendering this test ineffective. Finally, it does not provide enough information alone to identify a

The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, is commonly referred to as meningococcus. They are among several different types of bacteria, which are typically found in the normal microbiota of the Homo-sapiens specie. Once colonized in the human body, specifically in the nasopharynx (nose and throat) air passageway, they do not pose any kind of threat to a healthy person, however, like any other bacteria found in the human flora, once they exit their regular habit or abnormally multiply they are able to harm and even be fatal. These bacteria can cause Meningococcal Meningitis, with possible complications in the brain, hearing loss and others. For these reasons, the knowledge and awareness of this bacteria’s advantages and disadvantages are important.

The microbiology of N.meningitis, the gram negative bacteria has two primary layers which it used to protect itself. First is the outer, outside polysaccharide layer which is the outer membrane that plays an important role for the bacteria. The protective membrane acts like an adhesive as well as a barrier between the bacteria and the environment in which it is needed to survive the host. The cell envelope has an outer membrane made up of a peptidoglycan layer and the inside of the cell is made up of cytoplasmic. The outer membrane has an outside layer primarily composed of lipopolysaccharide, and proteins that an inside layer composed of phospholipids that contains proteins primarily responsible for regulating the flow of nutrients and metabolic

For this experiment we utilized a variety of materials. We first utilized a sharpie pen to write down the locations of our experiments and our names among other information on seven different Agar plates. We then used seven different containers of sterilized water to make sure there was no contamination between different samples. We also utilized seven different disposable swabs for this exact same reason. We also used seven packages of Para-film in order to seal the plates. Lastly we made use of a freezer in order to keep our plates at the proper temperature for bacteria incubation and growth. These are all the physical materials we made use of while conducting our own experiment.

According to the Center of Disease Control, meningitis can develop in response to a number various causes especially by both a virus and bacterial infection. Yet, it can also occur from certain drugs, physical injuries and also various forms of cancer. Mayo Clinic Staff states that, “Acute bacterial meningitis usually occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and migrate to the brain and spinal cord. But it can also occur when bacteria directly invade the meninges, as a result of an ear or sinus infection, or a skull fracture, or rarely, after some surgeries”. There are also various strains of bacterial meningitis, the most common include streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), haemophilus influenzae (haemophilus), and listeria monocytogenes (listeria) (Meningitis Directory).

Mediums that could be used to determine shigellosis include Btilliant Green Agar, and Triple Sugar-Iron Agar. Expected results in a confirmed case of shigellosis are as follows: