Neisseria Spp.

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Neisseria spp.

Neisseria spp.

 Gram-negative diplococci.
 Aerobic.
 Produce oxidase that differentiate them from
streptococci.
 Most are catalase-positive.
 Non- sporing ,non-motile.
 Ferment sugars producing acid but not gas.
 susceptible to temperature changes (above or below 37c),
drying, U.V light.
Medically important Neisseria :

 1. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococci)


 2. Neisseria meningitidis ( meningococci).
-both of them are strict human pathogen
Neisseria Meningitidis
General characteristics:
 Oval Gram-negative diplococci bean-shaped.
 Capsulated and possess pili and non- motile.
 Strict parasites, do not survive long outside of the host
 Typically seen in large numbers inside polymorph nuclear
leukocyte or extracellular.
 Aerobic.
 Produce catalase and oxidase.
 Pathogenic species require enriched complex media and CO2.
 Do not possess flagella or spores.
 Capsulated and possess pili.
Cultural characters

 Can grow in blood agar, Heated blood agar(Chocolate


agar) .
 Growth is also improved by incubation in the presence of
5% CO2.
 Growth temperature is 36-39⁰C.
 Colonies are 1-2 mm in diameter, convex, grey and
transparent after 48 h colonies are larger with an opaque
center.
 No hemolysis in blood agar.
Biochemical reactions

• Produce oxidase.
• Ferment maltose and glucose.
Virulence factors

 Polysaccharide capsule. The most common (A, B, C, Y, and W135).


 pili.
 IgA protease that cleaves the IgA antibodies present in respiratory mucosa.
Pathogenesis

 Humans are the only natural hosts.


 Colonize the nasopharynx and become transient flora of
the upper respiratory tract.
 From the nasopharynx, the organism spread to meninges
via bloodstream and grow in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Diseases
 Meningitis
 Meningococcemia
Laboratory diagnosis

 The laboratory diagnosis of N. meningitidis infections is


made by recovering the organism in cultures of spinal
fluid, blood.
 Several methods for laboratory diagnosis such Latex
agglutination test (identify capsular antigens )in CSF.
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae

 General characteristics:
 Kidney bean-shaped.
 Gram negative diplococci ( Intacellular polymorph
nuclear from urethral smear from symptomatic is
suggested N. Gonorrhoeae
• Occurs in pair
 Non motile
 non capsule and have pilli
Gram staining (The extra cellular and
intracellular gram-negative diplococci)
Cultural characters

 Grow in enriched media (chocolate agar) and selective


media Modified Thayer Martin (Chocolate agar +
antibiotics) in presence 5% of CO2
 Growth temperature is 37 ⁰C

Biochemical reactions
• Produce oxidase
• No ferment maltose only glucose
Colonies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on
chocolate (A) and blood agar plates (B)
Virulence factors

 pili the most important virulence factor attachment to


mucosal surfaces and inhibit phagocyte.
 • Lipooligosaccharide (LOS) (a modified form of
endotoxin).
 • Outer membrane proteins(OMP) : cause attachment of
bacteria to epithelial cells of the urethra, like pili.
 • IgA protease aids in colonization and degrades of
antibody.
Pathogenesis

 • Causes disease only in humans.


 • Transmitted sexually both in males and females and
causes following diseases:
 1.Gonorrhea
 2.In male cause urethritis
 3.In infant cause Neonatal conjunctivitis
 4. In female cause endocervicitis-Pelvic inflammatory
disease (PID)
Laboratory diagnosis

 Specimens include blood, urethral discharge in men,


cervical discharge in females.
 Different methods of laboratory diagnosis
 Gram staining (gram negative diplococci bean shaped).
 Culture (the organism is cultured on Thayar - Martin Agar
or chocolate Agar
 Oxidase test(positive)
 Fermentation tests(do not ferment maltose
 Vaccine Meningococcal vaccine: available which contains
the capsular polysaccharide of strains(A, C, Y, and W135).
Neisseria gonorrhoeae: no vaccine

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