Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Difference between revisions

Neisseria gonorrhoeae
	Neisseria gonorrhoeae cultured on two different media types.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Proteobacteria
Class:	Beta Proteobacteria
Order:	Neisseriales
Family:	Neisseriaceae
Genus:	Neisseria
Species:	N. gonorrhoeae
Binomial name
	Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Zopf, 1885

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Revision as of 08:37, 2 April 2009

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as Gonococci (plural), or Gonococcus (singular), is a species of Gram-negative kidney bean-shaped diplococci bacteria responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea.^[1]

N.gonorrhoeae was first described by Albert Neisser in 1879.

Microbiology

Neisseria are fastidious cocci, requiring nutrient supplementation to grow in laboratory cultures. Specifically, they grow on Chocolate agar with carbon dioxide. These cocci are facultatively intracellular and typically appear in pairs (diplococci).

Neisseria is usually isolated on Thayer-Martin agar — an agar plate with three different antibiotics and nutrients which not only facilitate the growth of Neisseria species, but inhibit the growth of Gram-positive organisms and most bacilli and fungi. Further testing to differentiate the species includes testing for oxidase (all Neisseria show a positive reaction) and the carbohydrates maltose, sucrose, and glucose test in which N. gonorrhoeae will only oxidize (that is, utilize) the glucose.

Disease

Symptoms of HAHAH. with N. gonorrhoeae differ depending on the site of infection.

Infection of the genitals can result in a purulent (or pus-like) discharge from the genitals which may be foul smelling, inflammation, redness, swelling, dysuria and a burning sensation during urination.

N. gonorrhoeae can also cause conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, proctitis or urethritis, prostatitis and orchitis.

Conjunctivitis is common in neonates and Silver nitrate or antibiotics are often applied to their eyes as a preventive measure against gonorrhoea. Neonatal gonorrheal conjunctivitis is contracted when the infant is exposed to N. gonorrhoeae in the birth canal, and can result in corneal scarring or perforation.

Disseminated N. gonorr infections can occur, resulting in endocarditis, meningitis or gonococcal dermatitis-arthritis syndrome. Dermatitis-arthritis syndrome presents with arthralgia, tenosynovitis and painless non-pruritic dermatitis.

Infection of the genitals in females with N. gonorrhoeae can result in pelvic inflammatory disease if left untreated, which can result in infertility. Pelvic inflammatory disease results if N. gonorrhoeae travels into the pelvic peritoneum (via the cervix, endometrium and fallopian tubes).

Treatment

If N. gonorrhoeae is resistant to the penicillin family of antibiotics, then ceftriaxone (a third-generation cephalosporin) is often used. Sexual partners should also be notified and treated.

Patients should also be tested for other sexually transmitted infections, especially Chlamydia infections, since co-infection is frequent.

External links

Todar's Online Textbook of Bacteriology

eMedicine: Gonococcal Infections

References

^ Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed. ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0838585299. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help); |edition= has extra text (help)

[Sherris-1] Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed. ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0838585299. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help); |edition= has extra text (help)

[1]

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 == Disease ==
-Symptoms of infection with ''N. gonorrhoeae'' differ depending on the site of infection.
+Symptoms of HAHAH. with ''N. gonorrhoeae'' differ depending on the site of infection.
 Infection of the genitals can result in a purulent (or [[pus]]-like) discharge from the genitals which may be foul smelling, inflammation, redness, swelling, dysuria and a burning sensation during [[urination]].
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 Conjunctivitis is common in neonates and [[Silver nitrate]] or [[antibiotics]] are often applied to their eyes as a preventive measure against gonorrhoea. Neonatal gonorrheal conjunctivitis is contracted when the infant is exposed to ''N. gonorrhoeae'' in the birth canal, and can result in corneal scarring or perforation.
-Disseminated ''N. gonorrhoeae'' infections can occur, resulting in [[endocarditis]], [[meningitis]] or gonococcal dermatitis-arthritis syndrome. Dermatitis-arthritis syndrome presents with [[arthralgia]], [[tenosynovitis]] and painless non-pruritic [[dermatitis]].
+Disseminated ''N. gonorr'' infections can occur, resulting in [[endocarditis]], [[meningitis]] or gonococcal dermatitis-arthritis syndrome. Dermatitis-arthritis syndrome presents with [[arthralgia]], [[tenosynovitis]] and painless non-pruritic [[dermatitis]].
 Infection of the genitals in females with ''N. gonorrhoeae'' can result in [[pelvic inflammatory disease]] if left untreated, which can result in infertility. [[Pelvic inflammatory disease]] results if ''N. gonorrhoeae'' travels into the pelvic peritoneum (via the cervix, endometrium and fallopian tubes).