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Sample records for neisseria gonorrhoeae por

  1. Algunas consideraciones sobre Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    OpenAIRE

    Pardi, Germán; Pérez, María Fernanda; Pacheco, Aura; Mata de Henning, Magdalena

    2004-01-01

    En el presente artículo, se describen los principales aspectos relacionados con Neisseria gonorrhoeae, microorganismo que se puede encontrar presente como parte de la microbiota transitoria o transeúnte de la cavidad bucal de algunos individuos, donde se destacan: Historia, taxonomía, características morfológicas, fisiológicas y de cultivo, ultraestructura, estructura antigénica, así como algunas consideraciones en referencia a la ecología y a los mecanismos de patogenicidad por parte de esta...

  2. Prevalencia de infecciones por Chlamydia trachomatis y Neisseria gonorrhoeae en adolescentes de colegios de la provincia de Sabana Centro, Cundinamarca, Colombia

    OpenAIRE

    María Cecilia Paredes; Yenny Milena Gómez; Ana Marcela Torres; Marcela Fernández; María Belén Tovar

    2015-01-01

    Introducción. Las infecciones por Chlamydia trachomatis y Neisseria gonorrhoeae son las dos infecciones bacterianas de transmisión sexual más frecuentes en el mundo, principalmente en menores de 25 años, en cuya salud sexual, reproductiva y materno-infantil producen secuelas. Objetivo. Estimar la prevalencia de las infecciones por C. trachomatis y N. gonorrhoeae entre adolescentes en colegios de la provincia de Sabana Centro, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estu...

  3. INFEKSI NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE AKIBAT SEXUAL ABUSE PADA SEORANG ANAK PEREMPUAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satya Wydya Yenny

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakInfeksi Neisseria gonorrhoeae pada anak akibat sexual abuse sangat jarang dilaporkan.Dilaporkan satu kasus infeksi Neisseria gonorrhoeae pada seorang anak perempuan usia 6 tahun setelah mengalami sexual abuse satu minggu yang lalu.Diagnosis ditegakkan berdasarkan anamnesis, pemeriksaan klinis dan pemeriksaan laboratorium. Anamnesis adanya keputihan sejak 5 hari sebelum berobat. Pada pemeriksaan fisis tampak cairan berwarna krem menempel pada celana dalam, cukup banyak, serta sedikit kemerahan dan duh genital pada vulva. Hasil pemeriksaan mikroskopis ditemukan diplokokus Gram negatif dan kultur didapatkan Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Berdasarkan hasil tes sensitivitas, pasien diterapi dengan ceftriaxon 125 mg i.m, dosis tunggal dan memberikan kesembuhan.Infeksi ini membutuhkan penatalaksanaan yang komprehensif karena mempunyai dampak psikologis baik bagi anak maupun keluarga seumur hidupKata kunci : Neisseria gonorrhoeae, sexual abuse, anakAbstractNeisseria gonorrhoe infection in childhood caused by sexual abuse is considered rare reported.A young girl 6 years old suffering gonococcal infection was reported. The diagnostic procedure were base on clinically and laboratory findings. The source of transmission was sexual abuse by an adult man. Physical examination revealed purulent discharge, cream in colour that stains the underwear with minimal vaginal discharge and vulval erythema. Laboratory examination showed Gram-negative diplococcic and isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This patient had been treated with ceftriaxon 125mg given intramuscularly in a single dose. Result of the treatment was good.The psychological sequelae of sexual abuse and the turmoil in the family produced by suspicions and allegations are largely unknown, but are probably life long.Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, sexual abuse, childLAPORAN

  4. Nucleotide sequence composition and method for detection of neisseria gonorrhoeae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lo, A.; Yang, H.L.

    1990-01-01

    This patent describes a composition of matter that is specific for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It comprises: at least one nucleotide sequence for which the ratio of the amount of the sequence which hybridizes to chromosomal DNA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to the amount of the sequence which hybridizes to chromosomal DNA of Neisseria meningitidis is greater than about five. The ratio being obtained by a method described

  5. Nucleotide sequence composition and method for detection of neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lo, A.; Yang, H.L.

    1990-02-13

    This patent describes a composition of matter that is specific for {ital Neisseria gonorrhoeae}. It comprises: at least one nucleotide sequence for which the ratio of the amount of the sequence which hybridizes to chromosomal DNA of {ital Neisseria gonorrhoeae} to the amount of the sequence which hybridizes to chromosomal DNA of {ital Neisseria meningitidis} is greater than about five. The ratio being obtained by a method described.

  6. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Neisseria gonorrhoeae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The high levels of bacterial resistance against ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, penicillin and spectinomycin, should be taken into account in developing any new guidelines in the management of the infection. Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Female infertility Drug Resistance, Ciprofloxacin, Tetracycline, ...

  7. FREKUENSI KUMAN Neisseriae gonorrhoeae YANG MENGINFEKSI WANITA USIA ANAK DI PADANG

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    Elizabeth Bahar

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakInfeksi traktus reproduksi wanita dapat disebabkan oleh penyakit hubungan seksual (sifilis, gonore, trikhomonas dan sebagainya. Dari semua penyakit kelamin insidens gonore merupakan yang tertinggi. Gonore penyakit yang disebabkan oleh kuman Neisseriae gonorrhoea atau disebut juga Coccus Gram negatif sampai saat ini merupakan suatu penyakit yang banyak menimbulkan problem bukan saja di negara berkembang, tetapi juga merupakan masalah di negara super power (adikuasa bahkan di seluruh dunia. Selain mempengaruhi kesehatan reproduksi erat sekali hubungannya dengan perilaku seks. Dari sudut psikologi sosial sebagian besar perilaku seks adalah perilaku sosial.Telah dilakukan penelitian dengan pengumpulan sampel secara cross sectional sampling dari wanita usia anak di Padang untuk mengetahui adanya kuman Neisseriae gonorrhoeae. Penelitian deskriptif dengan menggunakan metoda pewarnaan Gram mikroskopis langsung. Dari 18 sampel, ditemukan frekuensi penderita terinfeksi kuman Neisseriae gonorrhoeae 11 (61% dan 7 (38,9% non N gonorrhoeae. Dari variable-variable yang diuji anak sebagai sample yang terinfeksi kuman gonore berusia 1 – 3 tahun 4 (22,2 %, 4 – 7 tahun 6 (33,3%, 8 – 11 tahun 1 (5,5%} dan 12 – 15 tahun 0 (0%, di mana di lihat tingkat usia pendidikan anak pra sekolah dan sekolah. Orang tua si anak, ibu dan ayah pendidikan mencakup SD 0 (0%, SLP 0 (0%, SLA 14 (77,8 dan 7 (38,9% dan PT 4 (22,2% dan 10 (55,5 %. Kemudian pekerjaan orang tua anak meliputi RT 9 (50%, PNS/Swasta 8 (44,4% dan 14 (77,8%. Dagang 1 (5,6% dan 2 (11,1% dan sopir 2 (11,1%. Kesimpulannya penderita wanita usia anak di Padang cukup tinggi terinfeksi kuman N gonorrhoeae.Kata Kunci : gonore, wanita usia anak-anak, resistensi antibiotika.AbstractFemale genital infection may causes by sexual transmitted diseases (Syphilis, gonorrhoea, ect. From all vebereal diseases, incidence of gonorrhoeae is the highest. Current gonorrhoeae caused by Neisseriae gonorrhoeae or Gram

  8. Predominant porB1A and porB1B genotypes and correlation of gene mutations with drug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Eastern China

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    Tang Renxian

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Variations of porB1A and porB1B genes and their serotypes exist in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from different geographical areas, and some site mutations in the porB1B gene correlate with drug resistance. Methods The β-lactamase production of N. gonorrhoeae isolates was determined by paper acidometric test and nitrocefin discs. The porB1A and porB1B genes of 315 non-penicillinase-producting N. gonorrhoeae (non-PPNG strains were amplified by PCR for sequencing to determine serotypes and site mutations. A duplex PCR was designed to simultaneously detect both porB1A and porB1B genes. Penicillin and tetracycline resistance was assessed by an in vitro drug sensitivity test. Results Of the N. gonorrhoeae isolates, 31.1% tested positive for porB1A and 68.9% for porB1B genes. All the 98 porB1A+ isolates belonging to IA6 serotype with either no mutation at the 120 and 121 sites (88.8% or a D120G (11.2% mutation and were no resistance to both penicillin and tetracycline. Among the 217 porB1B+ isolates, 26.7%, 22.6% and 11.5% belonged to IB3, IB3/6 and IB4 serotypes, respectively. Particularly, two novel chimeric serotypes, IB3/6-IB2 and IB2-IB4-IB2, were found in 77 and 8 porB1B+ isolates. Two hundred and twelve (97.7% of the porB1B+ isolates were presented G120 and/or A121 mutations with 163 (76.9% at both sites. Interestingly, within the 77 porB1B+ isolates belonging to IB3/6-IB2 serotype, 15 were discovered to possess novel deletions at both A121 and N122 sites. All the replacement mutations at these sites in PorB1B were correlated with resistance and the deletion mutation showed the highest resistance. Conclusion N. gonorrhoeae isolates circulating in Eastern China include a sole PorB1A serotype (IA6 and five PorB1B serotypes. Multiple mutations in porB1B genes, including novel A121 and N122 deletions, are correlated with high levels of penicillin and tetracycline resistance.

  9. Diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among pregnant women by culture method and PCR on cppB gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jalal Mardaneh

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a human obligate pathogen and the etiological agent of gonorrhea. Health irreparable complications resulting from gonorrhea disease occur mainly in pregnant women and neonates. Aim of this study was diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among pregnant women with using culture and molecular method by amplification of cppB gene with PCR. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, two endocervical swab specimens were obtained from 1100 pregnant women who referred to Shiraz Hospitals. Culture on nonselective and selective media and nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT were performed for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae cppB gene. Results: All endocervical swabs cultures on selective and nonselective media were negative for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Among examined endocervical swabs, 13samples (1.18% were positive by nucleic acid amplification of Neisseria gonorrgoeae cppB gene. Conclusion: Negative results of culture and positive results of PCR in this study indicate that however culture is gold standard method for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae but due to bacterial autolysis, poor sampling techniques and improper specimen storage and transport, its value decline as compared with Nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT.

  10. Resistencia de Neisseria gonorrhoeae a ciprofloxacina según hábitos sexuales Ciprofloxacin resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae according to sexual habits

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    Susana García

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available En la Argentina los primeros hallazgos de Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistentes a las fluorquinolonas se documentaron en el año 2000. Desde enero de 2005 hasta junio de 2007, se evaluaron 595 hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH y 571 varones heterosexuales para investigar la presencia de N. gonorrhoeae y la resistencia a los antimicrobianos. La prevalencia de gonorrea en HSH y varones heterosexuales fue 0.091(91/1000 en ambos grupos y el % de N. gonorrhoeae resistente a ciprofloxacina (NGRC fue 20.0% y 3.8% respectivamente (p: 0.0416. Trece de 106 aislamientos fueron NGRC, correspondieron a 11 HSH y 2 varones heterosexuales. Seis HSH presentaron uretritis, uno de ellos con localización simultánea en recto y cinco pacientes fueron asintomáticos (recto, 2; faringe, 2; uretra, 1. No se pudo demostrar relación epidemiológica entre ellos. Dos varones heterosexuales presentaron uretritis. Los 8 pacientes sintomáticos fueron tratados empíricamente con ciprofloxacina y se documentó fracaso de tratamiento. Estos y los portadores de NGRC recibieron tratamiento con 500 mg de ceftriaxona IM. Los controles postratamiento demostraron la erradicación del microorganismo. Los aislamientos de NGRC presentaron CIM de ciprofloxacina entre 2 y 32 µg/ml, todos fueron beta-lactamasa negativos, 4/13 presentaron resistencia cromosómica a penicilina (CIM= 1 µg/ml, y los rangos de CIM (µg/ml para los siguientes antibióticos fueron: penicilina: 0.016-1; tetraciclina: 0.125-2; ceftriaxona: 0.004-0.008; eritromicina: 0.032-2; azitromicina: 0.032-0.5; espectinomicina: 8-32. Dado el elevado porcentaje de aislamientos de NGRC en HSH en nuestro hospital, debería utilizarse otro antimicrobiano para el tratamiento empírico en estos pacientes.The first isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistant to fluorquinolones in Argentina were reported in 2000. Since January 2005 to June 2007 Neisseria gonorrhoeae was studied in 595 men who have sex with men (MSM and 571

  11. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Neisseria gonorrhoeae at STI clinic

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    Shilpee C

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A total of 100 consecutive patients who attended a sexually transmitted infections clinic were studied. Thirteen had gonococcal urethritis, of which 10 showed growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on culture. All the isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme (AGSP method and beta lactamase production by chromogenic cephalosporin test. Four patients were co-infected with each of the following: HIV, HBV and Chlamydia trachomatis . Gonococcal urethritis (13% was found more in male patients. Ten percent gonococcal isolates were penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae , and another 10% were tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae .

  12. Genetic transformation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae shows a strand preference

    OpenAIRE

    Duffin, Paul M.; Seifert, H. Steven

    2012-01-01

    Natural transformation is the main means of horizontal genetic exchange in the obligate human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Neisseria spp. have been shown to preferentially take up and transform their own DNA by recognizing a non-palindromic 10 or 12 nucleotide DNA uptake sequence (DUS10 or DUS12). We investigated the ability of the DUS12 to enhance single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) transformation. Given the non-palindromic nature of the DUS12, we tested whether both strands of the DUS equally en...

  13. Design of a multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection and confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Callaghan, Isabelle

    2010-05-01

    To improve the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by designing a multiplex PCR assay using two N gonorrhoeae-specific genes as targets, thereby providing detection and confirmation of a positive result simultaneously.

  14. Antimicrobial blue light inactivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Gu, Ying; Dai, Tianhong

    2018-02-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a human-adapted, gram-negative diplococcus that infects human reproductive tracts and causes gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease, resulting in discharge and inflammation at the urethra, cervix, pharynx, or rectum. Over the years, N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to nearly every drug ever used to treat it, including sulfonamides, penicillin, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones. Drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae is now considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an urgent threat. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial blue light (aBL) at 405 and 470 nm for inactivating N. gonorrhoeae and reveal the mechanism of action. Our results showed that an exposure of 45 J/cm2 aBL at 405 nm reduced the bacterial CFU by 7.16-log10. When the aBL exposure was increased to 54 J/cm2, eradication of bacterial CFU was achieved. When the bacteria were exposed to aBL at 470 nm, 3-log10 reduction of CFU was observed at an aBL exposure of higher than 126 J/cm2. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses revealed the presence of endogenous porphyrins and flavins in N. gonorrhoeae cells. The present study indicated that aBL is a potential strategy to control N. gonorrhoeae infections. Endogenous porphyrins play a vital role in the killing effects of aBL. In vivo experiments are ongoing in our laboratory to treat genital tract infections in mice using aBL and explore the potential clinical applications.

  15. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in western Austria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allerberger, F; Kofler, H; Brezinka, C; Guggenbichler, J P; Dierich, M P

    1993-01-01

    From January to October 1992 24 Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from clinical specimens were collected at the Federal Public Health Laboratory in Innsbruck (Austria) and screened for resistance to penicillin G, erythromycin, tetracycline, spectinomycin, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacine, and silver nitrate. Patients originated from the Austrian provinces Salzburg, Tirol, and Vorarlberg, and presented with manifest gonorrhoea. Two of 24 isolates were penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae. Both strains were isolated from men who had just returned from Thailand or Kenya. The isolate from Africa was also resistant to tetracycline. Five of 24 infections were acquired abroad, sex tourism being involved in four cases. The antimicrobial resistance pattern found in gonococci in western Austria revealed that topical silver nitrate and erythromycin are equally acceptable for use in prophylaxis of neonatal ophthalmia. Penicillin is still the drug of choice in the treatment of endemic infections. If gonorrhoea has been acquired abroad, especially in Asia or Africa, ceftriaxone, spectinomycin or ciprofloxazine are recommended for therapy.

  16. Cephalosporin resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

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    Manju Bala

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Gonorrhea, a disease of public health importance, not only leads to high incidence of acute infections and complications but also plays a major role in facilitating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV acquisition and transmission. One of the major public health needs for gonorrhea control is appropriate, effective treatment. However, treatment options for gonorrhea are diminishing as Neisseria gonorrhoeae have developed resistance to several antimicrobial drugs such as sulfonamides, penicillin, tetracyclines and quinolones. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR surveillance of N. gonorrhoeae helps establish and maintain the efficacy of standard treatment regimens. AMR surveillance should be continuous to reveal the emergence of new resistant strains, monitor the changing patterns of resistance, and be able to update treatment recommendations so as to assist in disease control. Current treatment guidelines recommend the use of single dose injectable or oral cephalosporins. The emergence and spread of cephalosporin resistant and multi drug resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains, represents a worrying trend that requires monitoring and investigation. Routine clinical laboratories need to be vigilant for the detection of such strains such that strategies for control and prevention could be reviewed and revised from time to time. It will be important to elucidate the genetic mechanisms responsible for decreased susceptibility and future resistance. There is also an urgent need for research of safe, alternative anti-gonococcal compounds that can be administered orally and have effective potency, allowing high therapeutic efficacy (greater than 95.0% cure rate.

  17. Identification of Novel Immunogenic Proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Phage Display.

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    Daniel O Connor

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide with more than 100 million new infections per year. A lack of intense research over the last decades and increasing resistances to the recommended antibiotics call for a better understanding of gonococcal infection, fast diagnostics and therapeutic measures against N. gonorrhoeae. Therefore, the aim of this work was to identify novel immunogenic proteins as a first step to advance those unresolved problems. For the identification of immunogenic proteins, pHORF oligopeptide phage display libraries of the entire N. gonorrhoeae genome were constructed. Several immunogenic oligopeptides were identified using polyclonal rabbit antibodies against N. gonorrhoeae. Corresponding full-length proteins of the identified oligopeptides were expressed and their immunogenic character was verified by ELISA. The immunogenic character of six proteins was identified for the first time. Additional 13 proteins were verified as immunogenic proteins in N. gonorrhoeae.

  18. Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain with reduced susceptibilities to extended-spectrum cephalosporins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Duylinh; Gose, Severin; Castro, Lina; Chung, Kathleen; Bernstein, Kyle; Samuel, Micheal; Bauer, Heidi; Pandori, Mark

    2014-07-01

    The spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains with reduced susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins is an increasing public health threat. Using Etest and multiantigen sequence typing, we detected sequence type 1407, which is associated with reduced susceptibilities to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, in 4 major populated regions in California, USA, in 2012.

  19. Molecular epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains circulating in Indonesia using multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-NAST) techniques

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hananta, I. Putu Yuda; van Dam, Alje Pieter; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten Franciscus; Dierdorp, Mirjam; Wind, Carolien Marleen; Soebono, Hardyanto; de Vries, Henry John Christiaan; Bruisten, Sylvia Maria

    2018-01-01

    Background: Control of gonorrhea in resource-limited countries, such as Indonesia, is mostly unsuccessful. Examining Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) transmission networks using strain typing might help prioritizing public health interventions. Methods: In 2014, urogenital Ng strains were isolated from

  20. Distinct Neisseria gonorrhoeae Transmission Networks Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heymans, Raymond; A Matser, Amy; Bruisten, Sylvia M.; Heijman, Titia; Geskus, Ronald B.; Speksnijder, Adrianus G. C. L.; Davidovich, Udi; de Vries, Henry J. C.; Coutinho, Roel A.; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F.

    2012-01-01

    Background. Molecular typing was used to elucidate Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmission networks among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We determined whether clusters of patients infected with specific N. gonorrhoeae genotypes were related to various epidemiological

  1. A misleading false-negative result using Neisseria gonorrhoeae opa MGB multiplex PCR assay in patient's rectal sample due to partial mutations of the opa gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahidnia, Ali; van Empel, Pieter Jan; Costa, Sandra; Oud, Rob T N; van der Straaten, Tahar; Bliekendaal, Harry; Spaargaren, Joke

    2015-07-01

    A 53-year-old homosexual man presented at his general practitioner (GP) practice with a suspicion of sexually transmitted infection. Initial NAAT screening was performed for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The patient was positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae both for his urine and rectal sample. The subsequent confirmation test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a second laboratory was only confirmed for the urine sample and the rectal sample was negative. We report a case of a potential false-negative diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae due to mutations of DNA sequence in the probe region of opa-MGB assay of the rectal sample. The patient did not suffer any discomfort as diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in his urine sample had already led to treatment by prescribing the patient with Ceftriaxone 500 mg IV dissolved in 1 ml lidocaine 2% and 4 mL saline. The patient also received a prescription for Azithromycin (2x500 mg).

  2. Nanostructured platform for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and differential pulse voltammetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, R.; Matharu, Z.; Srivastava, A.K.; Sood, S.; Gupta, R.K.; Malhotra, B.D.

    2012-01-01

    We report on a nanocomposite based genosensor for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium causing the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea. Amino-labeled probe DNA was covalently immobilized on electrochemically prepared polyaniline and iron oxide (PANI-Fe 3 O 4 ) nanocomposite film on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques have been employed to characterize surface of the modified electrode. The genosensor has detection limits of 1 x 10 -15 M and 1 x 10 -17 M, respectively, using the EIS and DPV techniques. This biosensor can discriminate a complementary sequence from a single-base mismatch and from non-complementary DNA, and has been utilized for detection of DNA extracted from N. gonorrhoeae culture, and from patient samples with N. gonorrhoeae. It is found to exhibit good specificity for N. gonorrhoeae species and shows no response towards non-gonorrhoeae type of Neisseria species (NgNs) and other gram-negative bacterias (GNBs). The affinity constant for hybridization calculated using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model is found to be 3. 39 x 10 8 M -1 . (author)

  3. Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in China: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yawen; Gong, Yanhong; Yang, Tingting; Song, Xingyue; Li, Jing; Gan, Yong; Yin, Xiaoxv; Lu, Zuxun

    2016-03-03

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) resistance to antimicrobial has been a major concern in China, and epidemiological data on N. gonorrhoeae resistance are not well understood. This meta-analysis was aimed at summarizing the evidence on N. gonorrhoeae resistance to penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone and spectinomycin in China. Two researchers independently searched five databases to identify studies on N. gonorrhoeae resistance to antimicrobials from the databases' inception to November 7, 2014. A random-effects model was used to estimate the antimicrobial resistance rates and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was assessed with the Begg rank correlation test and the Egger test. We included 127 studies in our synthesis reporting antimicrobial resistance. Our analyses demonstrated that N. gonorrhoeae resistance to penicillin and tetracycline respectively increased from 74.41% (95% CI: 64.1-84.7%) and 68.3% (95% CI: 58.7-78.0%) in 2000 to 84.2% (95% CI: 79.7-88.8%) and 82.4% (95% CI: 79.9-84.7%) in 2012. N. gonorrhoeae resistance to ciprofloxacin experienced a steady increase from 12.7% (95% CI, 8.6-16.7%) in 1995 and reached 93.8% (95% CI: 91.9-95.7%) in 2003. N. gonorrhoeae resistance to ceftriaxone was 1.7% (95% CI: 0.5-5.7%) before 1995 and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.4%) in 2012, and N. gonorrhoeae resistance to spectinomycin was less than 2% from 1995 to 2012. N. gonorrhoeae resistance rates to penicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were high in China. Ceftriaxone and spectinomycin remained effective therapy for the treatment of gonorrhea. It is essential to strengthen N. gonorrhoeae resistance surveillance and update treatment guidelines timely.

  4. Agar dilution method for susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta C de Castillo

    1996-12-01

    Full Text Available The antibiotic susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates obtained from patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in Tucumán, Argentina, were determined by the agar dilution method (MIC. 3.5% of the isolates produced ²-lactamase. A total of 96.5% of ²-lactamase negative isolates tested were susceptible to penicillin (MIC < 2 µgml-1; 14.03% of the tested isolates were resistant to tetracycline (MIC < 2 µgml-1, and 98% of the tested isolates were susceptible to spectinomycin (MIC < 64 µgml-1. The MICs for 95% of the isolates, tested for other drugs were: < 2 µgml-1 for cefoxitin, < 0.06 µgml-1 for cefotaxime, < 0.25 µgml-1 for norfloxacin, < 10 µgml-1 for cephaloridine, < 10 µgml-1 for cephalexin, and < 50 µgml-1 for kanamycin. Antibiotic resistance among N. gonorrhoeae isolates from Tucumán, Argentina, appeared to be primarily limited to penicillin and tetracycline, which has been a general use against gonorrhoeae in Tucumán since 1960. Periodic monitoring of the underlying susceptibility profiles of the N. gonorrhoeae strains prevalent in areas of frequent transmission may provide clues regarding treatment options and emerging of drug resistance.

  5. Prevalencia de infeccion por Neisseria Gonorrhoeae en trabajadoras sexuales atendidas en el Centro de Salud Antivenereo de Lima, 1995

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    José L Portilla C

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Entre Junio a Diciembre del año 1995, se estudiaron a 233 trabajadoras sexuales legales con control sanitario y 171 trabajadoras sexuales clandestinas que evaden dicho control sanitario, quienes fueron atendidas en el Centro de Salud Antivenéreo de Lima con la finalidad de investigar la frecuencia de las infecciones gonocócicas en estos grupos de población y detectar cepas de Neisseria gonorrhoeae productoras de beta-lactamasa. Se encontró diferencia significativa (p=0,014 entre las frecuencias de aislamiento del gonococo procedente de las trabajadores sexuales legales, 1,72% (4/233, en comparación con lo encontrado en las clandestinas, 7,02% (12/171. Del total de las cepas aisladas de N. gonorrhoeae, el 37,5% (6/16 resultaron ser productoras de beta-lactamasa.

  6. [A case of bacterial peritonitis caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akahane, T; Kawakami, Y; Oana, K

    2001-10-01

    On January 17, 2001, a 39-year old female with sudden abdominal pain was admitted to her neighboring outpatient clinic and diagnosed as suspicious of infectious enteritis. However, on the next day (January 18, 2001) she was soon transferred to Toyoshina Red Cross Hospital with the chief complaint of severe abdominal pain, high fever, and of conspicuous leucocytosis. Laboratory data on her admission demonstrated apparent signs of inflammation and she was soon undergone an emergency operation. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was recovered from her ascetic fluid, otherwise Chlamydia EIA was negative. The antibiotic chemotherapy of minocycline (200 mg/day) was continued for the first 9 days and sulbactam/cefoperazone (2 g/day) had been administered for the first 5 days. Her symptoms were discontinued on her 10th hospital day, and she was discharged on the 14th hospital day. There have been few reported cases in Japan of bacterial peritonitis due to N. gonorrhoeae. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported case of N. gonorrhoeae peritonitis in Japan.

  7. Neisseria gonorrhoeae: testing, typing and treatment in an era of increased antimicrobial resistance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wind, C.M.

    2017-01-01

    This thesis discusses the management of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections while under threat of emerging antimicrobial resistance. It focuses on improved diagnostics, and antimicrobial resistance to current and future therapies. We describe a new method of targeted deferred culture, using nucleic

  8. Comparison of four techniques for the confirmatory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, P.F.

    1980-01-01

    The authors have compared four assay techniques for the confirmatory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. On of these is a radiometric assay, based on the measurement of liberated radiolabelled CO 2 from metabolized carbohydrates which have been tagged with 14 C. The assay uses glucose, maltose and fructose as its differentiating sugars, plus the ONPG reaction, and can be read in three hours. (Auth.)

  9. In Vitro Susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strains to Mupirocin, an Antibiotic Reformulated for Parenteral Administration in Nanoliposomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cern, Ahuva; Connolly, Kristie L; Jerse, Ann E; Barenholz, Yechezkel

    2018-04-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an urgent antibiotic-resistant threat. This study determined the MICs of mupirocin to be 0.0039 to 0.0625 μg/ml for 94 N. gonorrhoeae strains. Cross-resistance with other antibiotics was not detected. Mupirocin, which is currently limited to topical administration, demonstrated activity by injection when delivered in nanoliposomes. The nanoliposomal formulation of mupirocin is a potential treatment for drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae . Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

  10. Rapid change in the ciprofloxacin resistance pattern among Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in Nuuk, Greenland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skjerbæk Rolskov, Anne; Bjorn-Mortensen, Karen; Mulvad, Gert

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), are highly incident in Greenland. Since January 2011, GC testing has been performed on urine with nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) by strand displacement amplification (Becton Dickins...

  11. Non-cytotoxic nanomaterials enhance antimicrobial activities of cefmetazole against multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lan-Hui Li

    Full Text Available The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae has led to difficulties in treating patients, and novel strategies to prevent and treat this infection are urgently needed. Here, we examined 21 different nanomaterials for their potential activity against N. gonorrhoeae (ATCC 49226. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs, 120 nm showed the greatest potency for reducing N. gonorrhoeae colony formation (MIC: 12.5 µg/ml and possessed the dominant influence on the antibacterial activity with their properties of the nanoparticles within a concentration range that did not induce cytotoxicity in human fibroblasts or epithelial cells. Electron microscopy revealed that the Ag NPs significantly reduced bacterial cell membrane integrity. Furthermore, the use of clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae showed that combined treatment with 120 nm Ag NPs and cefmetazole produced additive effects. This is the first report to screen the effectiveness of nanomaterials against N. gonorrhoeae, and our results indicate that 120 nm Ag NPs deliver low levels of toxicity to human epithelial cells and could be used as an adjuvant with antibiotic therapy, either for topical use or as a coating for biomaterials, to prevent or treat multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae.

  12. Molecular characterization of two high-level ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates detected in Catalonia, Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cámara, Jordi; Serra, Judit; Ayats, Josefina; Bastida, Teresa; Carnicer-Pont, Dolors; Andreu, Antònia; Ardanuy, Carmen

    2012-08-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize the first two extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates collected from two sexually related patients (men who have sex with men) in Spain. Antimicrobial susceptibility was studied by Etest. Genes involved in quinolone, ceftriaxone and multidrug resistance were amplified by PCR and sequenced in both directions. The isolates were typed by N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). The two isolates had the same MDR profile, showing resistance to penicillin (MIC 0.094 mg/L; β-lactamase negative), ceftriaxone (MIC 1.5 mg/L), cefixime (MIC 1.5 mg/L), cefotaxime (MIC 1 mg/L), ciprofloxacin (MIC >32 mg/L) and tetracycline (MIC 1.5 mg/L). NG-MAST showed that both isolates belonged to sequence type (ST) 1407 (porB-908 and tbpB-110). Ciprofloxacin resistance was due to amino acid substitutions in GyrA (S91F and D95G) and ParC (S87R). An A deletion in the promoter of the MtrCDE efflux pump (mtrR) was detected. No changes were detected in the pilQ gene. The outer membrane protein PorB showed two substitutions at G120K and A121N. An L421P substitution was observed in the PBP1A (ponA) sequence. The sequence of PBP2 (penA) showed a mosaic structure related to genotype XXXIV with a single additional amino acid substitution (A501P). This genotype was identical to a recently described French isolate (F89). This is the first reported case of high-level extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant N. gonorrhoeae transmission. The molecular typing and MDR genotype suggest possible European spread of this strain, highlighting the need for surveillance and the importance of testing the susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae to extended-spectrum cephalosporins.

  13. SIGNIFICATIVE ANO PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN IMMUNOLOGY: OBTAINING A KIT TO TYPE NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Miguez

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng have been classified serologically on the basis of the antigenicity of the major porin (Por. Por! occurs in two immunochemically distinct serogroups: PorlA and Porffi. Because the diagnostic, therapeutic, social, and legal corisequences of misidentification of a nongonococcal Neisseria isolate as Ng can be substantial, the accurate and rapid identification of this organism is important. Typifying of Ng is done by techniques baséd on phenotypic characteristics and plasmidic content that individually don't reach an adequate discrimination, and so combination of techniques ·must be used. The aim of this work is to obtain polyclonal specificAb that discriminate Ng types Por!Aand Porffi. For this purpose, weimmunized two rabbits with sonicated PorlA and Porm strains ofNg (isolated from clínica! samples and serologically classified. The Ab response was analyzed along the protocol by ELISAand by direct agglutination with latex coated with sonicated Ng. With these data, we selected the bleeding providing the serum with maximum specific Ab ti ter to prepare the typing reagents. Unwanted Ab directed against shared epitopes were removed by adsorption with Ng latex. The typing reagents were obtained by coating latex with each depleted sera. Our results suggest that high titers of specific Ab be obtained for both strains ofNg and the depleted sera be discriminated between both strains. These results suggest that these diagnostic reagents could be useful to confirrn presumptive identification by a simple and rapid method.

  14. Evaluation of six nucleic acid amplification tests used for diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Russia compared with an international strictly validated real-time porA pseudogene polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipitsyna, E; Zolotoverkhaya, E; Hjelmevoll, S O; Maximova, A; Savicheva, A; Sokolovsky, E; Skogen, V; Domeika, M; Unemo, M

    2009-11-01

    In Russia, laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhoea has been mainly based on microscopy only and, in some settings, relatively rare suboptimal culturing. In recent years, Russian developed and manufactured nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) have been implemented for routine diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. However, these NAATs have never been validated to any international well-recognized diagnostic NAAT. This study aims to evaluate the performance characteristics of six Russian NAATs for N. gonorrhoeae diagnostics. In total, 496 symptomatic patients were included. Five polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and one real-time nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA) assay, developed by three Russian companies, were evaluated on urogenital samples, i.e. cervical and first voided urine (FVU) samples from females (n = 319), urethral and FVU samples from males (n = 127), and extragenital samples, i.e. rectal and pharyngeal samples, from 50 additional female patients with suspicion of gonorrhoea. As reference method, an international strictly validated real-time porA pseudogene PCR was applied. The prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae was 2.7% and 16% among the patients providing urogenital and extragenital samples, respectively. The Russian NAATs and the reference method displayed high level of concordance (99.4-100%). The sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values and negative predictive values of the Russian tests in different specimens were 66.7-100%, 100%, 100%, and 99.4-100%, respectively. Russian N. gonorrhoeae diagnostic NAATs comprise relatively good performance characteristics. However, larger studies are crucial and, beneficially, the Russian assays should also be evaluated to other international highly sensitive and specific, and ideally Food and Drug Administration approved, NAATs such as Aptima Combo 2 (Gen-Probe).

  15. Draft Genome Sequence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strain NG_869 with Penicillin, Tetracycline and Ciprofloxacin Resistance Determinants Isolated from Malaysia

    OpenAIRE

    Ang, Geik Yong; Yu, Choo Yee; Yong, Delicia Ann; Cheong, Yuet Meng; Yin, Wai-Fong; Chan, Kok-Gan

    2016-01-01

    Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and the increasing reports of multidrug-resistant gonococcal isolates are a global public health care concern. Herein, we report the genome sequence of N. gonorrhoeae strain NG_869 isolated from Malaysia which may provide insights into the drug resistance determinants in gonococcal bacteria.

  16. Mutation in ribosomal protein S5 leads to spectinomycin resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena eIlina

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Spectinomycin remains a useful reserve option for therapy of gonorrhea. The emergence of multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains with decreased susceptibility to cefixime and to ceftriaxone makes it the only medicine still effective for treatment of gonorrhea infection in analogous cases. However, adoption of spectinomycin as a routinely used drug of choice was soon followed by reports of spectinomycin resistance. The main molecular mechanism of spectinomycin resistance in N. gonorrhoeae was C1192T substitution in 16S rRNA genes. Here we reported a Thr-24→Pro mutation in ribosomal protein S5 found in spectinomycin resistant clinical N. gonorrhoeae strain, which carried no changes in 16S rRNA. In a series of experiments, the transfer of rpsE gene allele encoding the mutant ribosomal protein S5 to the recipient N. gonorrhoeae strains was analyzed. The relatively high rate of transformation (ca. 10-5 CFUs indicates the possibility of spread of spectinonycin resistance within gonococcal population due to the horizontal gene transfer.

  17. Reproducibility Problems with the Abbott Laboratories LCx Assay for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    OpenAIRE

    Gronowski, Ann M.; Copper, Susan; Baorto, David; Murray, Patrick R.

    2000-01-01

    This study demonstrates that significant reproducibility problems can occur during routine use of the Abbott Laboratories LCx assay for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These problems can go undetected by the quality control procedures outlined in the manufacturer's package insert. We outline here procedures for detecting and preventing contamination and reproducibility problems.

  18. Variation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide directs dendritic cell-induced T helper responses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra J van Vliet

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Gonorrhea is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases in the world. A naturally occurring variation of the terminal carbohydrates on the lipooligosaccharide (LOS molecule correlates with altered disease states. Here, we investigated the interaction of different stable gonoccocal LOS phenotypes with human dendritic cells and demonstrate that each variant targets a different set of receptors on the dendritic cell, including the C-type lectins MGL and DC-SIGN. Neisseria gonorrhoeae LOS phenotype C constitutes the first bacterial ligand to be described for the human C-type lectin receptor MGL. Both MGL and DC-SIGN are locally expressed at the male and female genital area, the primary site of N. gonorrhoeae infection. We show that targeting of different C-type lectins with the N. gonorrhoeae LOS variants results in alterations in dendritic cell cytokine secretion profiles and the induction of distinct adaptive CD4(+ T helper responses. Whereas N. gonorrhoeae variant A with a terminal N-acetylglucosamine on its LOS was recognized by DC-SIGN and induced significantly more IL-10 production, phenotype C, carrying a terminal N-acetylgalactosamine, primarily interacted with MGL and skewed immunity towards the T helper 2 lineage. Together, our results indicate that N. gonorrhoeae LOS variation allows for selective manipulation of dendritic cell function, thereby shifting subsequent immune responses in favor of bacterial survival.

  19. Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA bacterial load in men with symptomatic and asymptomatic gonococcal urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priest, David; Ong, Jason J; Chow, Eric P F; Tabrizi, Sepehr; Phillips, Sam; Bissessor, Melanie; Fairley, Christopher K; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Read, Tim R H; Garland, Suzanne; Chen, Marcus

    2017-11-01

    Previous studies have quantified bacterial loads of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the pharynx and rectum of men but not the urethra. We quantified the bacterial load of N. gonorrhoeae in men with symptomatic and asymptomatic urethral gonorrhoea infections. Consecutive men diagnosed with urethral gonorrhoea by Aptima Combo 2 testing of urine at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between March and July 2016 were eligible for the study: symptomatic men with purulent urethral discharge and asymptomatic men with no urethral symptoms. The gonococcal bacterial load in both groups was measured by urethral swab using a standardised collection method and real-time quantitative PCR targeting the opa gene. Twenty men were recruited into the study: 16 had purulent urethral discharge and 4 had asymptomatic urethral gonorrhoea. The median gonococcal bacterial load was significantly higher among symptomatic men (3.7×10 6 copies per swab, IQR 2.5×10 6 -4.7×10 6 ) compared with asymptomatic men (2.0×10 5 copies per swab, IQR 2.7×10 4 -4.5×10 5 ) (p=0.002). Gonococcal loads in men with urethral discharge were higher than loads seen with asymptomatic urethral gonorrhoea and loads seen in asymptomatic pharyngeal and rectal gonorrhoea infections in previous studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  20. Functional analysis of the Gonococcal Genetic Island of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilia Pachulec

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen that is responsible for the sexually-transmitted disease gonorrhea. N. gonorrhoeae encodes a T4SS within the Gonococcal Genetic Island (GGI, which secretes ssDNA directly into the external milieu. Type IV secretion systems (T4SSs play a role in horizontal gene transfer and delivery of effector molecules into target cells. We demonstrate that GGI-like T4SSs are present in other β-proteobacteria, as well as in α- and γ-proteobacteria. Sequence comparison of GGI-like T4SSs reveals that the GGI-like T4SSs form a highly conserved unit that can be found located both on chromosomes and on plasmids. To better understand the mechanism of DNA secretion by N. gonorrhoeae, we performed mutagenesis of all genes encoded within the GGI, and studied the effects of these mutations on DNA secretion. We show that genes required for DNA secretion are encoded within the yaa-atlA and parA-parB regions, while genes encoded in the yfeB-exp1 region could be deleted without any effect on DNA secretion. Genes essential for DNA secretion are encoded within at least four different operons.

  1. Crystal structure of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae MtrD inner membrane multidrug efflux pump.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jani Reddy Bolla

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen and the causative agent of the sexually-transmitted disease gonorrhea. The control of this disease has been compromised by the increasing proportion of infections due to antibiotic-resistant strains, which are growing at an alarming rate. The MtrCDE tripartite multidrug efflux pump, belonging to the hydrophobic and amphiphilic efflux resistance-nodulation-cell division (HAE-RND family, spans both the inner and outer membranes of N. gonorrhoeae and confers resistance to a variety of antibiotics and toxic compounds. We here report the crystal structure of the inner membrane MtrD multidrug efflux pump, which reveals a novel structural feature that is not found in other RND efflux pumps.

  2. Characterization of a catalase-deficient strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: evidence for the significance of catalase in the biology of N. gonorrhoeae.

    OpenAIRE

    Johnson, S R; Steiner, B M; Cruce, D D; Perkins, G H; Arko, R J

    1993-01-01

    We obtained a catalase-deficient (Kat-) strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from a patient who had been unsuccessfully treated with penicillin. Quantitative enzyme assays and electrophoresis of cell extracts on native polyacrylamide gels subsequently stained for catalase and peroxidase activities failed to detect both enzymes. The strain exhibited no growth anomalies or unusual requirements when grown under ordinary laboratory conditions. However, the Kat- strain proved extremely sensiti...

  3. Molecular detection and confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urogenital and extragenital specimens using the Abbott CT/NG RealTime assay and an in-house assay targeting the porA pseudogene.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Walsh, A

    2011-04-01

    Culture for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is being replaced by molecular assays, but difficulties are observed with false positive and negatives results, especially for extragenital samples. This study evaluates the Abbott CT\\/NG Real-Time assay and a real-time porA pseudogene assay. Samples (n = 600) from a mixed prevalence Irish population include 164 male urines with corresponding urethral swabs, 58 endocervical swabs, 173 male pharyngeal swabs, 205 male rectal swabs, 36 NG clinical isolates and 26 commensal Neisseria species isolates. There was a 100% concordance between the Abbott CT\\/NG Real-Time and the porA assay. The positivity rate was 1.2%, 1.7%, 8.1% and 5.8% for FVU\\/urethral swabs, endocervical, pharyngeal and rectal swabs, respectively. These results were compared to culture and discrepancies were found with nine pharyngeal and three rectal swabs. Seven of the 12 discrepant positive samples were sequenced and were confirmed "true positives". The sensitivity and specificity of the molecular assays was 100%. The sensitivity of the culture-based testing was 100% for urogenital samples but 36% and 75% for pharyngeal and rectal swabs, respectively. The combined Abbott CT\\/NG and porA assays provide a valuable alternative to culture and also generate a significant increase in the diagnosis of pharyngeal and rectal NG infection.

  4. Comparison of the cystine-tryptic digest agar-carbohydrate co-agglutination and BACTEC Neisseria differentiation methods for identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the clinical laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morello, J.A.; Beheshti, S.; Bohnhoff, M.

    1980-01-01

    The author evaluated CTA-carbohydrate, BACTEC and co-agglutination systems to determine their accuracy for identifying N. gonorrhoeae strains and for distinguishing them from other Neisseria species. BACTEC is a radiometric assay based on the measurement of liberated radiolabelled CO 2 from metabolised carbohydrates which have been tagged with 14 C. (Auth.)

  5. Susceptibilidad antimicrobiana in vitro de cepas de Neisseria gonorrhoeae procesadas en el instituto nacional de salud, Lima, Perú. 1998-1999

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Portilla C

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Determinar la frecuencia de susceptibilidad y resistencia in vitro de cepas de Neisseria gonorrhoeae, aisladas en el Laboratorio de Bacterias de Transmisión Sexual del Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú, frente a los antimicrobianos de uso actual en el tratamiento de la infección por el gonococo; asimismo, conocer la frecuencia con que se presentan las cepas de N. gonorrhoeae productoras de beta-lactamasas. Material y Métodos: Estudio observacional descriptivo. En el Laboratorio de Bacterias de Transmisión Sexual del Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú, se recibieron 130 cepas de N. gonorrhoeae (49 en 1998 y 81 en 1999, procedentes de diferentes localidades del país para confirmación bacteriológica. El método de estudio de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana usado fue el de Concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM frente a la penicilina, espectinomicina, ceftriaxona, cefotaxima, ciprofloxacina y azitromicina. Resultados: La frecuencia de la resistencia de las cepas de N. gonorrhoeae in vitro a la penicilina fue en 15/49 cepas en el año 1998 y 15/81 cepas en el año 1999. Asimismo, la resistencia a la tetraciclina fue en 31/49 cepas en el año 1998 y 51/81 cepas en 1999. El 100% de las cepas estudiadas fueron sensibles a la espectinomicina, ceftriaxona, cefotaxima y ciprofloxacina. En el país, se reporta en 9/81 cepas de N. gonorrhoeae de susceptibilidad disminuida a la azitromicina. Entre los años 1998 y 1999, se reportaron 21/52 y 6/85, respectivamente de cepas de N. gonorrhoeae productoras de beta-lactamasas. Conclusiones: Se encontró resistencia in vitro de cepas de N. gonorrhoeae frente a la penicilina y tetraciclina. Los antibióticos que se deben usar para el tratamiento de la infección son: espectinomicina, ceftriaxona, cefotaxima y ciprofloxacina. Por primer vez se reporta en el país, cepas de susceptibilidad disminuida a la azitromicina.

  6. Prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-Chlamydia trachomatis y anti-Neisseria gonorrhoeae en grupos de individuos de la población mexicana Prevalence of antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Mexican populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María del Carmen Cravioto

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Estimar la prevalencia de infección por Chlamydia trachomatis (CT y Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG en grupos de individuos con diferente riesgo para infecciones de transmisión sexual. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal multicéntrico efectuado en el Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, de la Ciudad de México, de enero de 1992 a diciembre de 1993, en el que se estudiaron 945 individuos en edad reproductiva, 585 mujeres y 360 hombres. Según su riesgo para infecciones de transmisión sexual se clasificaron en grupos de alto y bajo riesgo. Los de alto riesgo incluyeron mujeres infértiles con daño tubario, mujeres con embarazo ectópico o aborto, hombres infértiles, pacientes con VIH/SIDA, hombres homo o bisexuales y trabajadoras del sexo comercial (TSC. Los de bajo riesgo: mujeres primigestas, hombres fértiles y mujeres infértiles sin daño tubario. Se determinó en duplicado IgG e IgA anti-NG y anti-CT en suero, por análisis inmunoenzimático, utilizando como antígeno el pili de NG y la fracción L1 de CT. Se calcularon porcentajes. RESULTADOS: En mujeres la prevalencia para NG fue IgG 13.7% e IgA 14.3%, y para CT fue IgG 11.4% e IgA 4.4%. En hombres, NG 3.3% y 13.3%, respectivamente, y para CT 7.2% y 5.5%, respectivamente. En TSC se encontró NG en 31.2 % y 28.4%, respectivamente, y para CT 25.0% y 5.7%, respectivamente. En mujeres con infertilidad por daño tubario, NG 5.6% y 9.8%, respectivamente, y CT 8.4% y 1.4%, respectivamente. En 110 primigestas jóvenes, NG 4.5% y 10.0%, respectivamente, y CT 3.6% y 9.1%, respectivamente. CONCLUSIONES: Estos datos confirman la prevalencia elevada de Neisseria gonorrhoeae y Chlamydia trachomatis en trabajadoras del sexo comercial y en hombres homo/bisexuales, pero no en otros grupos de alto riesgo como las mujeres infértiles, con aborto o embarazo ectópico.OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

  7. Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in asymptomatic family planning patients in rural New Mexico.

    OpenAIRE

    Bell, T A; Ebenezer, M R

    1989-01-01

    We tested 98 asymptomatic women seen in state-funded contraception clinics in rural New Mexico. A fluorescein-conjugated monoclonal antibody stain revealed Chlamydia trachomatis infection in 25% of asymptomatic unmarried women and 3% of married women (P = .03). Neisseria gonorrhoeae was detected in only one woman. As in urban clinics providing contraception, the prevalence of gonorrhea is rare in rural New Mexico, but chlamydial infections are common in young unmarried women.

  8. Antibodies with higher bactericidal activity induced by a Neisseria gonorrhoeae Rmp deletion mutant strain.

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    Guocai Li

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae outer membrane protein reduction modifiable protein (Rmp has strong immunogenicity. However, anti-Rmp antibodies block rather than preserve the antibacterial effects of protective antibodies, which hampers the development of vaccines for gonococcal infections. We herein constructed an Rmp deletion mutant strain of N. gonorrhoeae by gene homologous recombination. The 261-460 nucleotide residues of Rmp gene amplified from N. gonorrhoeae WHO-A strain were replaced with a kanamycin-resistant Kan gene amplified from pET-28a. The resultant hybridized DNA was transformed into N. gonorrhoeae WHO-A strain. PCR was used to screen the colonies in which wild-type Rmp gene was replaced with a mutant gene fragment. Western blotting revealed that the Rmp deletion mutant strain did not express Rmp protein. Rmp deletion did not alter the morphological and Gram staining properties of the mutant strain that grew slightly more slowly than the wild-type one. Rmp gene mutated stably throughout 25 generations of passage. Antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay indicated that the antibodies induced by the mutant strain had evidently higher bactericidal activities than those induced by the wild-type strain. Further modification of the Rmp deletion mutant strain is still required in the development of novel live attenuated vaccines for gonorrhea by Opa genes deletion or screening of phenotypic variant strains that do not express Opa proteins.

  9. Chlamydia trachomatis Serovar Distribution and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Coinfection in Male Patients with Urethritis in Greece▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadogeorgakis, Helen; Pittaras, Theodore E.; Papaparaskevas, Joseph; Pitiriga, Vassiliki; Katsambas, Andreas; Tsakris, Athanassios

    2010-01-01

    The distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis serovars and Neisseria gonorrhoeae coinfection was studied in a group of 100 C. trachomatis-positive males with urethritis in Greece. The serovar distribution revealed that apart from the predominant worldwide types E and F, the relatively uncommon type G is also prevalent. Gonococcal coinfection was frequent (30%) and was associated with genovariant Ja (75%, P = 0.008). PMID:20357220

  10. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Modulates Immunity by Polarizing Human Macrophages to a M2 Profile.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Carolina Ortiz

    Full Text Available Current data suggest that Neisseria gonorrhoeae is able to suppress the protective immune response at different levels, such as B and T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. The present report is focused on gonococcus evasion mechanism on macrophages (MФ and its impact in the subsequent immune response. In response to various signals MФ may undergo classical-M1 (M1-MФ or alternative-M2 (M2-MФ activation. Until now there are no reports of the gonococcus effects on human MФ polarization. We assessed the phagocytic ability of monocyte-derived MФ (MDM upon gonococcal infection by immunofluorescence and gentamicin protection experiments. Then, we evaluated cytokine profile and M1/M2 specific-surface markers on MФ challenged with N. gonorrhoeae and their proliferative effect on T cells. Our findings lead us to suggest N. gonorrhoeae stimulates a M2-MФ phenotype in which some of the M2b and none of the M1-MФ-associated markers are induced. Interestingly, N. gonorrhoeae exposure leads to upregulation of a Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1, widely known as an immunosuppressive molecule. Moreover, functional results showed that N. gonorrhoeae-treated MФ are unable to induce proliferation of human T-cells, suggesting a more likely regulatory phenotype. Taken together, our data show that N. gonorroheae interferes with MФ polarization. This study has important implications for understanding the mechanisms of clearance versus long-term persistence of N. gonorroheae infection and might be applicable for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

  11. Proteomics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: the treasure hunt for countermeasures against an old disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin I Baarda

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an exquisitely adapted, strictly human pathogen and the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. This ancient human disease remains a serious problem, occurring at high incidence globally and having a major impact on reproductive and neonatal health. N. gonorrhoeae is rapidly evolving into a superbug and no effective vaccine exists to prevent gonococcal infections. Untreated or inadequately treated gonorrhea can lead to severe sequelae, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women, epididymitis in men, and sight- threatening conjunctivitis in infants born to infected mothers. Therefore, there is an immediate need for accelerated research toward the identification of molecular targets for development of drugs with new mechanisms of action and preventive vaccine(s. Global proteomic approaches are ideally suited to guide these studies. Recent quantitative proteomics (SILAC, iTRAQ, and ICAT have illuminated the pathways utilized by N. gonorrhoeae to adapt to different lifestyles and micro-ecological niches within the host, while comparative 2D SDS-PAGE analysis has been used to elucidate spectinomycin resistance mechanisms. Further, high-throughput examinations of cell envelopes and naturally released membrane vesicles have unveiled the ubiquitous and differentially expressed proteins between temporally and geographically diverse N. gonorrhoeae isolates. This review will focus on these different approaches, emphasizing the role of proteomics in the search for vaccine candidates. Although our knowledge of N. gonorrhoeae has been expanded, still far less is known about this bacterium than the closely related N. meningitidis, where genomics- and proteomics-driven studies have led to the successful development of vaccines.

  12. Comparison of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MICs Obtained by Etest and Agar Dilution for Ceftriaxone, Cefpodoxime, Cefixime and Azithromycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gose, Severin; Kong, Carol J; Lee, Yer; Samuel, Michael C; Bauer, Heidi M; Dixon, Paula; Soge, Olusegun O; Lei, John; Pandori, Mark

    2013-10-24

    We evaluated Neisseria gonorrhoeae Etest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) relative to agar dilution MICs for 664 urethral isolates for ceftriaxone (CRO) and azithromycin (AZM), 351 isolates for cefpodoxime (CPD) and 315 isolates for cefixime (CFM). Etest accurately determined CPD, CFM and AZM MICs, but resulted in higher CRO MICs. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Sequence Typing for Antimicrobial Resistance, a Novel Antimicrobial Resistance Multilocus Typing Scheme for Tracking Global Dissemination of N. gonorrhoeae Strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demczuk, W; Sidhu, S; Unemo, M; Whiley, D M; Allen, V G; Dillon, J R; Cole, M; Seah, C; Trembizki, E; Trees, D L; Kersh, E N; Abrams, A J; de Vries, H J C; van Dam, A P; Medina, I; Bharat, A; Mulvey, M R; Van Domselaar, G; Martin, I

    2017-05-01

    A curated Web-based user-friendly sequence typing tool based on antimicrobial resistance determinants in Neisseria gonorrhoeae was developed and is publicly accessible (https://ngstar.canada.ca). The N. gonorrhoeae Sequence Typing for Antimicrobial Resistance (NG-STAR) molecular typing scheme uses the DNA sequences of 7 genes ( penA , mtrR , porB , ponA , gyrA , parC , and 23S rRNA) associated with resistance to β-lactam antimicrobials, macrolides, or fluoroquinolones. NG-STAR uses the entire penA sequence, combining the historical nomenclature for penA types I to XXXVIII with novel nucleotide sequence designations; the full mtrR sequence and a portion of its promoter region; portions of ponA , porB , gyrA , and parC ; and 23S rRNA sequences. NG-STAR grouped 768 isolates into 139 sequence types (STs) ( n = 660) consisting of 29 clonal complexes (CCs) having a maximum of a single-locus variation, and 76 NG-STAR STs ( n = 109) were identified as unrelated singletons. NG-STAR had a high Simpson's diversity index value of 96.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.959 to 0.969). The most common STs were NG-STAR ST-90 ( n = 100; 13.0%), ST-42 and ST-91 ( n = 45; 5.9%), ST-64 ( n = 44; 5.72%), and ST-139 ( n = 42; 5.5%). Decreased susceptibility to azithromycin was associated with NG-STAR ST-58, ST-61, ST-64, ST-79, ST-91, and ST-139 ( n = 156; 92.3%); decreased susceptibility to cephalosporins was associated with NG-STAR ST-90, ST-91, and ST-97 ( n = 162; 94.2%); and ciprofloxacin resistance was associated with NG-STAR ST-26, ST-90, ST-91, ST-97, ST-150, and ST-158 ( n = 196; 98.0%). All isolates of NG-STAR ST-42, ST-43, ST-63, ST-81, and ST-160 ( n = 106) were susceptible to all four antimicrobials. The standardization of nomenclature associated with antimicrobial resistance determinants through an internationally available database will facilitate the monitoring of the global dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains. © Crown copyright 2017.

  14. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Based on Data Collected by a Network of Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salfa, Maria Cristina; Suligoi, Barbara

    Bacterial and protozoal sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, may cause acute symptoms, chronic infections and severe long-term complications. The complications of these infections in women include pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Moreover, infection during pregnancy is associated with premature rupture of the membranes, low birth weight and miscarriage.In Italy, Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis infections are not subject to mandatory reporting; while gonorrhoea is subject to mandatory reporting.To extend surveillance to STIs that are widespread yet often asymptomatic and to improve the knowledge on the epidemiology of these infections in Italy, in 2009 the "Centro Operativo AIDS of the Istituto Superiore di SanitÁ", in collaboration with the Association of Italian Clinical Microbiologists (AMCLI, Associazione Microbiologi Clinici Italiani), launched the sentinel STIs surveillance system based on a network of 13 clinical microbiology laboratories.The main objective of the surveillance was to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoea infections among individuals attending microbiology laboratories in Italy.

  15. Performance of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaydos, C A; Cartwright, C P; Colaninno, P; Welsch, J; Holden, J; Ho, S Y; Webb, E M; Anderson, C; Bertuzis, R; Zhang, L; Miller, T; Leckie, G; Abravaya, K; Robinson, J

    2010-09-01

    A multicenter clinical study was conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, a multiplex real-time PCR assay, for simultaneous detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The specimens were collected from a total of 3,832 male and female subjects at 16 geographically diverse sites. Specimens included male and female urine samples, male urethral swabs, female endocervical swabs, and self-collected and clinician-collected vaginal swabs. Specimens were tested with the automated Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, Aptima Combo 2 assay (Gen-Probe), ProbeTec ET CT/GC assay (Becton Dickinson), and culture for N. gonorrhoeae. The Aptima Combo 2 assay, the ProbeTec assay, and the N. gonorrhoeae culture were used as the reference assays. For each subject, a patient infected status (PIS) was determined based on the combined results from the reference assays. The overall prevalence in female subjects was 8.9% for C. trachomatis and 3.8% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall male prevalence was 18.2% for C. trachomatis and 16.7% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay were 92.4% and 99.2% for C. trachomatis and 96.9% and 99.7% for N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. In comparison, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, for the Aptima Combo 2 assay were 94.5% and 99.0% for C. trachomatis and 96.1% and 99.5% for N. gonorrhoeae, and those for the ProbeTec ET assay were 90.3% and 99.5% for C. trachomatis and 92.0% and 97.3% for N. gonorrhoeae in this study. The Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay offers C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae dual detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The automated assay provides a useful alternative nucleic acid amplification assay for clinical laboratories and clinicians.

  16. Review and International Recommendation of Methods for Typing Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates and Their Implications for Improved Knowledge of Gonococcal Epidemiology, Treatment, and Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unemo, Magnus; Dillon, Jo-Anne R.

    2011-01-01

    Summary: Gonorrhea, which may become untreatable due to multiple resistance to available antibiotics, remains a public health problem worldwide. Precise methods for typing Neisseria gonorrhoeae, together with epidemiological information, are crucial for an enhanced understanding regarding issues involving epidemiology, test of cure and contact tracing, identifying core groups and risk behaviors, and recommending effective antimicrobial treatment, control, and preventive measures. This review evaluates methods for typing N. gonorrhoeae isolates and recommends various methods for different situations. Phenotypic typing methods, as well as some now-outdated DNA-based methods, have limited usefulness in differentiating between strains of N. gonorrhoeae. Genotypic methods based on DNA sequencing are preferred, and the selection of the appropriate genotypic method should be guided by its performance characteristics and whether short-term epidemiology (microepidemiology) or long-term and/or global epidemiology (macroepidemiology) matters are being investigated. Currently, for microepidemiological questions, the best methods for fast, objective, portable, highly discriminatory, reproducible, typeable, and high-throughput characterization are N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) or full- or extended-length porB gene sequencing. However, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and Opa typing can be valuable in specific situations, i.e., extreme microepidemiology, despite their limitations. For macroepidemiological studies and phylogenetic studies, DNA sequencing of chromosomal housekeeping genes, such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST), provides a more nuanced understanding. PMID:21734242

  17. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and extended-spectrum cephalosporins in California: surveillance and molecular detection of mosaic penA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gose, Severin; Nguyen, Duylinh; Lowenberg, Daniella; Samuel, Michael; Bauer, Heidi; Pandori, Mark

    2013-12-04

    The spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains with mosaic penA alleles and reduced susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins is a major public health problem. While much work has been performed internationally, little is known about the genetics or molecular epidemiology of N. gonorrhoeae isolates with reduced susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins in the United States. The majority of N. gonorrhoeae infections are diagnosed without a live culture. Molecular tools capable of detecting markers of extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance are needed. Urethral N. gonorrhoeae isolates were collected from 684 men at public health clinics in California in 2011. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to ceftriaxone, cefixime, cefpodoxime and azithromycin were determined by Etest and categorized according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control 2010 alert value breakpoints. 684 isolates were screened for mosaic penA alleles using real-time PCR (RTPCR) and 59 reactive isolates were subjected to DNA sequencing of their penA alleles and Neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). To increase the specificity of the screening RTPCR in detecting isolates with alert value extended-spectrum cephalosporin MICs, the primers were modified to selectively amplify the mosaic XXXIV penA allele. Three mosaic penA alleles were detected including two previously described alleles (XXXIV, XXXVIII) and one novel allele (LA-A). Of the 29 isolates with an alert value extended-spectrum cephalosporin MIC, all possessed the mosaic XXXIV penA allele and 18 were sequence type 1407, an internationally successful strain associated with multi-drug resistance. The modified RTPCR detected the mosaic XXXIV penA allele in urethral isolates and urine specimens and displayed no amplification of the other penA alleles detected in this study. N. gonorrhoeae isolates with mosaic penA alleles and reduced susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins are currently

  18. Antiseptic mouthwash against pharyngeal Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a randomised controlled trial and an in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Eric Pf; Howden, Benjamin P; Walker, Sandra; Lee, David; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Chen, Marcus Y; Snow, Anthony; Cook, Stuart; Fehler, Glenda; Fairley, Christopher K

    2017-03-01

    Gonorrhoea is increasing among men who have sex with men (MSM). We aimed to determine whether Listerine, a commercial mouthwash product, has an inhibitory effect against Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and an in vitro study, and therefore may be a potentially useful agent for gonorrhoea control. In vitro: a suspension of ∼10 8 colony forming units per mL (CFU/mL) of N. gonorrhoeae was added to a serial of dilutions (up to 1:32) of alcohol-containing Listerine mouthwashes (Cool Mint and Total Care) for 1 min. A 10 µL aliquot was spread over the surface of a gonococcal agar plate and the number of N. gonorrhoeae colonies present at each dilution was calculated. The phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was used as a control. RCT: we recruited MSM with pharyngeal gonorrhoea who returned for treatment at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between May 2015 and February 2016. Untreated men were randomised to rinse and gargle either Listerine Cool Mint or saline for 1 min. Pharyngeal swabs were taken before and after rinsing and gargling for culture of N. gonorrhoeae . The analysis included only men who were culture positive for N. gonorrhoeae before using the allocated solution on the day of recruitment. In vitro: Listerine mouthwashes at dilutions of up to 1:4 for 1 min resulted in significant reduction of total N. gonorrhoeae counts but PBS has no inhibitory effect against N. gonorrhoeae . RCT: a total of 196 MSM were recruited, 58 (30%) were culture positive before using the solution. After gargling the allocated solution, men in the Listerine group were significantly less likely to be culture positive on the pharyngeal surface (52%) compared with men in the saline group (84%) (p=0.013). This data suggest Listerine, significantly reduces the amount of N. gonorrhoeae on the pharyngeal surface. With daily use it may increase gonococcal clearance and have important implications for prevention strategies. ACTRN12615000716561. Published by

  19. Genital infections and reproductive complications associated with Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Streptococcus agalactiae in women of Qom, central Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Nateghi Rostam

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Trichomonas vaginalis (T.vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N.gonorrhoeae are two most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the world. No data are available regarding the epidemiology of genital infections in women of Qom, central Iran. Objective: Epidemiological investigation of sexually transmitted infections in genital specimens of women referred to the referral gynecology hospital in Qom, central Iran. Materials and Methods: Genital swab specimens were collected from women volunteers and used for identification of bacterial and protozoal infections by conventional microbial diagnostics, porA pseudo gene LightCycler® real-time PCR (for N.gonorrhoeae and ITS-PCR (for T.vaginalis. Results: Of 420 volunteers, 277 (65.9% had genital signs/symptoms, including 38.3% malodorous discharge, 37.9% dyspareunia, and 54.8% abdominal pain. Totally, 2 isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae were identified. Five specimens (1.2% in Thayer-Martin culture and 17 (4.1% in real-time PCR were identified as N.gonorrhoeae. Fifty-four specimens (12.9% in wet mount, 64 (15.2% in Dorset’s culture, and 81 (19.3% in ITS-PCR showed positive results for T.vaginalis. Five mixed infections of T.vaginalis+ N.gonorrhoeae were found. The risk of T.vaginalis infection was increased in women with low-birth-weight (p=0.00; OR=43.29, history of abortion (p=0.00; OR=91.84, and premature rupture of membranes (PROM (p=0.00; OR=21.75. The probability of finding nuclear leukocytes (p=0.00; OR=43.34 in vaginal smear was higher in T.vaginalis infection. Conclusion: The significant prevalence of trichomoniasis and gonorrhea emphasizes the need for accurate diagnosis and effective surveillance to prevent serious reproductive complications in women.

  20. AtlA Functions as a Peptidoglycan Lytic Transglycosylase in the Neisseria gonorrhoeae Type IV Secretion System▿

    OpenAIRE

    Kohler, Petra L.; Hamilton, Holly L.; Cloud-Hansen, Karen; Dillard, Joseph P.

    2007-01-01

    Type IV secretion systems require peptidoglycan lytic transglycosylases for efficient secretion, but the function of these enzymes is not clear. The type IV secretion system gene cluster of Neisseria gonorrhoeae encodes two peptidoglycan transglycosylase homologues. One, LtgX, is similar to peptidoglycan transglycosylases from other type IV secretion systems. The other, AtlA, is similar to endolysins from bacteriophages and is not similar to any described type IV secretion component. We chara...

  1. The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections among men with urethritis in Kuwait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Sweih, N A; Khan, S; Rotimi, V O

    2011-09-01

    Chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis and gonorrhoea are the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections worldwide. Data on these infections are scanty in the Islamic world, especially Kuwait. The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among men with symptomatic urethritis in Kuwait. Men with urethral discharge seen and managed at eight governmental hospitals were recruited into the study. A pair of urethral swab and first-voided urine sample were taken from the patients and sent immediately to the laboratory where they were processed using strand displacement nucleic acid amplification kits (SDA; ProbeTec, Becton Dickinson); one pair per patient was studied. A total of 426 symptomatic men were studied, out of whom 155 (36.4%) were infected by either C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae, or both. The overall prevalence rates of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae were 12.4% and 23.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in chlamydial and gonococcal prevalence between Kuwaiti men and non-Kuwaitis (P>0.05). Infection rates were much lower in married men than unmarried men. Men in the age range of 21-35 years were more vulnerable to both infections. The findings show that N. gonorrhoeae and, to a lesser extent, C. trachomatis are common in men with urethritis in Kuwait. Appropriate preventive strategies that conform to Islamic rules and values should be of highest priority of the policymakers. Copyright © 2011 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamasuna, Ryoichi; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Ishikawa, Kiyohito; Uehara, Shinya; Takahashi, Satoshi; Hayami, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Shingo; Matsumoto, Tetsuro; Minamitani, Shinichi; Watanabe, Akira; Iwamoto, Aikichi; Totsuka, Kyoichi; Kadota, Junichi; Sunakawa, Keisuke; Sato, Junko; Hanaki, Hideaki; Tsukamoto, Taiji; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Egawa, Shin; Tanaka, Kazushi; Arakawa, Soichi; Fujisawa, Masato; Kumon, Hiromi; Kobayashi, Kanao; Matsubara, Akio; Naito, Seiji; Tatsugami, Katsunori; Ito, Shin; Narita, Harunori; Kanokogi, Mototsugu; Sumii, Toru; Ito, Kenji; Hosobe, Takahide; Kawai, Shuichi; Kawano, Hiromi; Takayama, Kazuo; Yamaguchi, Takamasa; Endo, Katsuhisa; Yamauchi, Takamine; Maeda, Shinichi; Yoh, Mutsumasa; Horie, Masanobu; Ito, Masayasu; Chokyu, Hirofumi; Ihara, Hideari; Akiyama, Kikuo; Uno, Satoshi; Monden, Koichi; Kaji, Shinichi; Nishimura, Hirofumi; Kawahara, Motoshi; Sato, Takashi; Konishi, Takatoshi; Nishi, Shohei; Ishihara, Satoshi; Yoshioka, Masaru

    2013-08-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the most important pathogens causing sexually transmitted infection, and strains that are resistant to several antimicrobials are increasing. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the first nationwide surveillance. The urethral discharge was collected from male patients with urethritis at 51 medical facilities from April 2009 to October 2010. Of the 156 specimens, 83 N. gonorrhoeae strains were tested for susceptibility to 18 antimicrobial agents. The prevalence of β-lactamase-producing strains and chromosomally mediated resistant strains were 7.2 % and 16.5 %, respectively. None of the strains was resistant to ceftriaxone, but the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ceftriaxone for 7 strains (8.4 %) was 0.125 μg/ml. One strain was resistant to cefixime (MIC 0.5 μg/ml). The MICs of fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and tosufloxacin, showed a bimodal distribution. The MIC of sitafloxacin was lower than those of the three fluoroquinolones listed here, and it was found that the antimicrobial activity of sitafloxacin was stronger than that of the fluoroquinolones. The MIC of azithromycin in 2 strains was 2 μg/ml, but no high-level resistance to macrolides was detected.

  3. Production of 14C-labeled gas in BACTEC Neisseria Differentiation kits by Neisseria cinerea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyce, J.M.; Mitchell, E.B. Jr.; Knapp, J.S.; Buttke, T.M.

    1985-01-01

    Six strains of Neisseria cinerea were tested in BACTEC Neisseria Differentiation kits (Johnston Laboratories, Inc., Towson, Md.), and all yielded positive glucose growth indices and negative maltose and fructose growth indices. These results were similar to those achieved with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. However, most of the N. cinerea isolates tested yielded 3-h glucose growth indices that were lower than those obtained with gonococci. 14 C-labeled gas was produced significantly faster by N. gonorrhoeae than by N. cinerea. Additional studies suggested that the 14 C-labeled gas produced by N. cinerea was carbon dioxide. N. cinerea strains were similar to Branhamella catarrhalis strains because both species failed to produce detectable acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose, fructose, and lactose in cysteine-tryptic agar media. However, in contrast to N. cinerea strains, B. catarrhalis strains did not metabolize glucose in BACTEC Neisseria Differentiation kits

  4. Definition of a virulence-related antigen of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with monoclonal antibodies and lectins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demarco de Hormaeche, R; Bundell, C; Chong, H; Taylor, D W; Wildy, P

    1986-03-01

    Variants of one strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, grown in vivo or in vitro, that have been previously shown to differ in infectivity, serum resistance, and capsule production were compared with use of monoclonal antibodies and lectins. Monoclonal antibodies to virulent gonococci recognized an antigenic site of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced in large amounts by gonococci grown in vivo but present only in a small proportion of in vitro-grown gonococci. This antigen (C-LPS) was found in all 85 different gonococcal isolates studied but not among nonpathogenic neisseriae. It was shared by group B and C meningococci but not by groups A and D. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis showed that N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine form part of the epitope. The C-LPS antigen was shown by immunofluorescence to be present on the surface of the gonococci and also free as slime. This antigen appears to confer resistance to killing by normal sera.

  5. Diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Using Molecular Beacon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Achchhe Lal; Sonkar, Subash Chandra; Kumari, Indu; Saluja, Daman

    2015-01-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an important sexually transmitted diseases (STD) causing pathogen worldwide. Due to absence of an affordable diagnostic assay, routine screening of gonococcal infection becomes impossible in developing countries where infection rates are maximum. Treatment is given on the basis of symptoms alone which leads to spread of infection. Thus, development of a rapid, sensitive, specific, and PCR based visual diagnostic assay suitable for developing countries, required for better disease management, is aimed at in present study. Endocervical swabs were collected from patients visiting gynecology department of various hospitals in Delhi. In-house PCR based assay was developed and modified to visual assay using molecular beacon for end-point detection. It was evaluated against Roche AMPLICOR NG kit and rmp gene. Specificity of beacon was confirmed by competition experiments. Diagnostic test was 98.21% specific and 99.59% sensitive whereas negative and positive predicted value were 99.40% and 98.78%, respectively. We also observed that twice the concentration (2X) of premix was stable at 4°C for 4 months and dry swab samples gave concordant results with that of wet swabs. These features make the test best suitable for routine diagnosis of genital infections in developing countries. PMID:25802857

  6. A Novel Mechanism of High-Level, Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Resistance Caused by a Single Base Pair Change in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-20

    respect, Eisenstein and Sparling noted that a single base pair deletion in the inverted repeat in the mtrR promoter, a mutation which also confers high...Regulation of the MtrC-MtrD-MtrE efflux-pump system modulates the in vivo fitness of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J. Infect. Dis. 196:1804 –1812. 21. Eisenstein BI

  7. Structure and Function of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MtrF Illuminates a Class of Antimetabolite Efflux Pumps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Chia Su

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen and the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. The control of this disease has been compromised by the increasing proportion of infections due to antibiotic-resistant strains, which are growing at an alarming rate. N. gonorrhoeae MtrF is an integral membrane protein that belongs to the AbgT family of transporters for which no structural information is available. Here, we describe the crystal structure of MtrF, revealing a dimeric molecule with architecture distinct from all other families of transporters. MtrF is a bowl-shaped dimer with a solvent-filled basin extending from the cytoplasm to halfway across the membrane bilayer. Each subunit of the transporter contains nine transmembrane helices and two hairpins, posing a plausible pathway for substrate transport. A combination of the crystal structure and biochemical functional assays suggests that MtrF is an antibiotic efflux pump mediating bacterial resistance to sulfonamide antimetabolite drugs.

  8. Genital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections among women in sub-Saharan Africa: A structured review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubbink, Jan Henk; Verweij, Stephan P; Struthers, Helen E; Ouburg, Sander; McIntyre, James A; Morré, Servaas A; Peters, Remco Ph

    2018-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae constitute major public health problems among women, but the burden of infection in sub-Saharan Africa is poorly documented. We conducted a structured review of the prevalence and incidence of genital, oral and anal C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection in women in sub-Saharan Africa. We searched Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science over a 10-year period for studies on epidemiology of genital, oral and anal chlamydial infection and gonorrhoea in women in all countries of sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed geographic and demographic differences in prevalence and incidence of infection; weighted mean prevalence estimates were calculated with a random-effect model. A total of 102 study results were included, with data available for 24/49 of sub-Saharan countries. The weighted prevalence of chlamydial infection was lower among women in community-based studies (3.9%; 95% CI: 2.9-5.1%) than for women recruited at primary healthcare facilities (6.0%; 95% CI: 4.2-8.4%, p sub-Saharan Africa. Better control strategies are warranted to reduce the burden of infection and to prevent long-term complications of these infections.

  9. Identification and characterization of AckA-dependent protein acetylation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah M B Post

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea, has a number of factors known to contribute to pathogenesis; however, a full understanding of these processes and their regulation has proven to be elusive. Post-translational modifications (PTMs of bacterial proteins are now recognized as one mechanism of protein regulation. In the present study, Western blot analyses, with an anti-acetyl-lysine antibody, indicated that a large number of gonococcal proteins are post-translationally modified. Previous work has shown that Nε-lysine acetylation can occur non-enzymatically with acetyl-phosphate (AcP as the acetyl donor. In the current study, an acetate kinase mutant (1291ackA, which accumulates AcP, was generated in N. gonorrhoeae. Broth cultures of N. gonorrhoeae 1291wt and 1291ackA were grown, proteins extracted and digested, and peptides containing acetylated-lysines (K-acetyl were affinity-enriched from both strains. Mass spectrometric analyses of these samples identified a total of 2686 unique acetylation sites. Label-free relative quantitation of the K-acetyl peptides derived from the ackA and wild-type (wt strains demonstrated that 109 acetylation sites had an ackA/wt ratio>2 and p-values <0.05 in at least 2/3 of the biological replicates and were designated as "AckA-dependent". Regulated K-acetyl sites were found in ribosomal proteins, central metabolism proteins, iron acquisition and regulation proteins, pilus assembly and regulation proteins, and a two-component response regulator. Since AckA is part of a metabolic pathway, comparative growth studies of the ackA mutant and wt strains were performed. The mutant showed a growth defect under aerobic conditions, an inability to grow anaerobically, and a defect in biofilm maturation. In conclusion, the current study identified AckA-dependent acetylation sites in N. gonorrhoeae and determined that these sites are found in a diverse group of proteins. This work lays the foundation for

  10. Gonorrhea in Indonesia: High Prevalence of Asymptomatic Urogenital Gonorrhea but No Circulating Extended Spectrum Cephalosporins-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strains in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Denpasar, Indonesia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hananta, I. Putu Yuda; van Dam, Alje P.; Bruisten, Sylvia Maria; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten Franciscus; Soebono, Hardyanto; de Vries, Henry John Christiaan

    2016-01-01

    Little is known about the epidemiology of asymptomatic urogenital gonorrhea and antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) strains circulating in Indonesia. We studied these issues in 3 large Indonesian cities. In 2014, participants were recruited from sexually transmitted infection

  11. Sustained transmission of high-level azithromycin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in England: an observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fifer, Helen; Cole, Michelle; Hughes, Gwenda; Padfield, Simon; Smolarchuk, Christa; Woodford, Neil; Wensley, Adrian; Mustafa, Nazim; Schaefer, Ulf; Myers, Richard; Templeton, Kate; Shepherd, Jill; Underwood, Anthony

    2018-05-01

    Between Nov 3, 2014, and Feb 24, 2017, 70 cases of high-level azithromycin-resistant (HL-AziR; minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥256 mg/L) Neisseria gonorrhoeae were reported from across England. Whole-genome sequencing was done to investigate this outbreak to determine whether the ongoing outbreak represented clonal spread of an HL-AziR N gonorrhoeae strain identified in Leeds. We also wanted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of azithromycin resistance in N gonorrhoeae in the UK. In this observational study, whole-genome sequencing was done on the HL-AziR N gonorrhoeae isolates from England. As comparators, 110 isolates from the UK and Ireland with a range of azithromycin MICs were also sequenced, including eight isolates from Scotland with azithromycin MICs ranging from 0·12 mg/L to 1·00 mg/L that were N gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence type 9768 (ST9768), which was the sequence type initially responsible for the outbreak. The presence of mutations or genes associated with azithromycin resistance was also investigated. 37 of the 60 HL-AziR isolates from England belonged to ST9768, and were genetically similar (mean 4·3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms). A 2059A→G mutation was detected in three or all four alleles of the 23S rRNA gene. Five susceptible ST9768 isolates had one mutated 23S rRNA allele and one low-level resistant ST9768 isolate had two mutated alleles. Sustained transmission of a successful HL-AziR clone was seen across England. Mutation 2059A→G was found in isolates with lower azithromycin MICs. Azithromycin exposure might have provided the selection pressure for one or two mutated copies of the 23S rRNA gene to recombine with wild-type copies, leading to three or four mutated copies and the HL-AziR phenotype. HL-AziR could emerge in isolates with low azithromycin MICs and eliminate the effectiveness of azithromycin as part of dual therapy for the treatment of gonorrhoea. Public Health England. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All

  12. Cloning, nucleotide sequence and transcriptional analysis of the uvrA gene from Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Black, C.G.; Fyfe, J.A.M.; Davies, J.K.

    1997-01-01

    A recombinant plasmid capable of restoring UV resistance to an Escherichia coli uvrA mutant was isolated from a genomic library of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame whose deduced amino acid sequence displayed significant similarity to those of the UvrA proteins of other bacterial species. A second open reading frame (ORF259) was identified upstream from, and in the opposite orientation to the gonococcal uvrA gene. Transcriptional fusions between portions of the gonococcal uvrA upstream region and a reporter gene were used to localise promoter activity in both E. coli and N. gonorrhoeae. The transcriptional starting points of uvrA and ORF259 were mapped in E. coli by primer extension analysis, and corresponding σ 70 promoters were identified. The arrangement of the uvrA-ORF259 intergenic region is similar to that of the gonococcal recA-aroD intergenic region. Both contain inverted copies of the 10 bp neisserial DNA uptake sequence situated between divergently transcribed genes. However, there is no evidence that either the uptake sequence or the proximity of the promoters influences expression of these genes. (author)

  13. The prevalence and epidemiology of plasmid-mediated penicillin and tetracycline resistance among Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Guangzhou, China, 2002-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Heping; Wu, Xingzhong; Huang, Jinmei; Qin, Xiaolin; Xue, Yaohua; Zeng, Weiying; Lan, Yinyuan; Ou, Jiangli; Tang, Sanmei; Fang, Mingheng

    2015-10-09

    Gonococcal antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. Different resistance plasmids have emerged and spread among the isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae worldwide and in China. We conducted this study to monitor the plasmid-mediated penicillin and tetracycline resistance among N. gonorrhoeae isolates in Guangzhou from 2002 to 2012. Consecutive isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were collected from outpatients with gonorrhea attending the STD clinic in Guangdong Provincial Centre for Skin Diseases and STIs Control and Prevention. Penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) isolates were analyzed by the paper acidometric method. Plasmid-mediated resistance to tetracycline in N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG) isolates was screened by the agar plate dilution method. Plasmid types were determined for TRNG and PPNG isolates using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to penicillin and tetracycline were detected by the agar plate dilution. Of 1378 consecutive N. gonorrhoeae isolates, 429 PPNG and 639 TRNG isolates were identified. The prevalence of PPNG, TRNG, and PPNG/TRNG increased from 18.3 to 47.1 % (χ (2) = 31.57, p penicillin G and tetracycline persisted at high levels and the MIC90s were 32-fold higher than the resistant cutoff point over 11 years. The prevalence rates of penicillin- and tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae varied from 90.9 to 91.1 % and from 88.3 to 89.3 % during 2002 to 2012, respectively. Resistance to penicillin and tetracycline among N. gonorrhoeae isolates remained at high levels in Guangzhou. The Asian type PPNG continued to spread and Dutch type TRNG was still the dominant strain. The African type PPNG has emerged and is spreading rapidly.

  14. NeisseriaBase: a specialised Neisseria genomic resource and analysis platform

    OpenAIRE

    Wenning Zheng; Naresh V.R. Mutha; Hamed Heydari; Avirup Dutta; Cheuk Chuen Siow; Nicholas S. Jakubovics; Wei Yee Wee; Shi Yang Tan; Mia Yang Ang; Guat Jah Wong; Siew Woh Choo

    2016-01-01

    Background. The gram-negative Neisseria is associated with two of the most potent human epidemic diseases: meningococcal meningitis and gonorrhoea. In both cases, disease is caused by bacteria colonizing human mucosal membrane surfaces. Overall, the genus shows great diversity and genetic variation mainly due to its ability to acquire and incorporate genetic material from a diverse range of sources through horizontal gene transfer. Although a number of databases exist for the Neisseria genome...

  15. Risk factors for antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and characteristics of patients infected with gonorrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuertes de Vega, Irene; Baliu-Piqué, Carola; Bosch Mestres, Jordi; Vergara Gómez, Andrea; Vallés, Xavier; Alsina Gibert, Mercè

    2018-03-01

    There are very few data available regarding risk factors associated with antibiotic resistant-Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A study was conducted on 110 samples from 101 patients with gonococcal infection, in order to describe their characteristics and compare them with the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of their samples. An association was observed between resistant infections and heterosexual men, older age, concurrent sexually transmitted infection, and unsafe sexual behaviors. There is a need for improved data on the risk factors associated with antibiotic resistant gonococcal infection in order to identify risk groups, and to propose public health strategies to control this infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  16. Experimental gonococcal infection in male volunteers: Cumulative experience with Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains FA1090 and MS11mkC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcia Metzgar Hobbs

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Experimental infection of male volunteers with Neisseria gonorrhoeae is safe and reproduces the clinical features of naturally acquired gonococcal urethritis. Human inoculation studies have helped define the natural history of experimental infection with two well-characterized strains of N. gonorrhoeae, FA1090 and MS11mkC. The human model has proved useful for testing the importance of putative gonococcal virulence factors for urethral infection in men. Studies with isogenic mutants have improved our understanding of the requirements for gonococcal LOS structures, pili, opacity proteins, IgA1 protease and the ability of infecting organisms to obtain iron from human transferrin and lactoferrin during uncomplicated urethritis. The model also presents opportunities to examine innate host immune responses that may be exploited or improved in development and testing of gonococcal vaccines. Here we review results to date with human experimental gonorrhea.

  17. Escherichia coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae UvrD helicase unwinds G4 DNA structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Kaustubh; Thakur, Roshan Singh; Ganguli, Debayan; Rao, Desirazu Narasimha; Nagaraju, Ganesh

    2017-10-18

    G-quadruplex (G4) secondary structures have been implicated in various biological processes, including gene expression, DNA replication and telomere maintenance. However, unresolved G4 structures impede replication progression which can lead to the generation of DNA double-strand breaks and genome instability. Helicases have been shown to resolve G4 structures to facilitate faithful duplication of the genome. Escherichia coli UvrD (EcUvrD) helicase plays a crucial role in nucleotide excision repair, mismatch repair and in the regulation of homologous recombination. Here, we demonstrate a novel role of E. coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae UvrD in resolving G4 tetraplexes. EcUvrD and N gonorrhoeae UvrD were proficient in unwinding previously characterized tetramolecular G4 structures. Notably, EcUvrD was equally efficient in resolving tetramolecular and bimolecular G4 DNA that were derived from the potential G4-forming sequences from the genome of E. coli Interestingly, in addition to resolving intermolecular G4 structures, EcUvrD was robust in unwinding intramolecular G4 structures. These data for the first time provide evidence for the role of UvrD in the resolution of G4 structures, which has implications for the in vivo role of UvrD helicase in G4 DNA resolution and genome maintenance. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  18. Molecular detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Jens Kjølseth; Herrmann, B; Jensen, K.T.

    2011-01-01

    This chapter highlights the use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for the molecular diagnosis of gonorrhoea and chlamydia infection. In addition, good laboratory practice and issues that should be considered before and after implementation of NAATs for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae...

  19. Control of gdhR Expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae via Autoregulation and a Master Repressor (MtrR of a Drug Efflux Pump Operon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corinne E. Rouquette-Loughlin

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The MtrCDE efflux pump of Neisseria gonorrhoeae contributes to gonococcal resistance to a number of antibiotics used previously or currently in treatment of gonorrhea, as well as to host-derived antimicrobials that participate in innate defense. Overexpression of the MtrCDE efflux pump increases gonococcal survival and fitness during experimental lower genital tract infection of female mice. Transcription of mtrCDE can be repressed by the DNA-binding protein MtrR, which also acts as a global regulator of genes involved in important metabolic, physiologic, or regulatory processes. Here, we investigated whether a gene downstream of mtrCDE, previously annotated gdhR in Neisseria meningitidis, is a target for regulation by MtrR. In meningococci, GdhR serves as a regulator of genes involved in glucose catabolism, amino acid transport, and biosynthesis, including gdhA, which encodes an l-glutamate dehydrogenase and is located next to gdhR but is transcriptionally divergent. We report here that in N. gonorrhoeae, expression of gdhR is subject to autoregulation by GdhR and direct repression by MtrR. Importantly, loss of GdhR significantly increased gonococcal fitness compared to a complemented mutant strain during experimental murine infection. Interestingly, loss of GdhR did not influence expression of gdhA, as reported for meningococci. This variance is most likely due to differences in promoter localization and utilization between gonococci and meningococci. We propose that transcriptional control of gonococcal genes through the action of MtrR and GdhR contributes to fitness of N. gonorrhoeae during infection.

  20. Type I interferon induction by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Dual requirement of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase and Toll-like receptor 4

    OpenAIRE

    Andrade, Warrison A.; Agarwal, Sarika; Mo, Shunyan; Shaffer, Scott A.; Dillard, Joseph P.; Schmidt, Tobias; Hornung, Veit; Fitzgerald, Katherine A.; Kurt-Jones, Evelyn A.; Golenbock, Douglas T.

    2016-01-01

    The innate immune system is the first line of defense against Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC). Exposure of cells to GC lipooligosaccharides induces a strong immune response, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production via TLR4/MD-2. In addition to living freely in the extracellular space, GC can invade the cytoplasm to evade detection and elimination. Double-stranded DNA introduced into the cytosol binds and activates the enzyme cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), which produces 2′3′-cGAMP and trigg...

  1. Bim and Bmf synergize to induce apoptosis in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliver Kepp

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Bcl-2 family proteins including the pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins are central regulators of apoptotic cell death. Here we show by a focused siRNA miniscreen that the synergistic action of the BH3-only proteins Bim and Bmf is required for apoptosis induced by infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo. While Bim and Bmf were associated with the cytoskeleton of healthy cells, they both were released upon Ngo infection. Loss of Bim and Bmf from the cytoskeleton fraction required the activation of Jun-N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK-1, which in turn depended on Rac-1. Depletion and inhibition of Rac-1, JNK-1, Bim, or Bmf prevented the activation of Bak and Bax and the subsequent activation of caspases. Apoptosis could be reconstituted in Bim-depleted and Bmf-depleted cells by additional silencing of antiapoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-X(L, respectively. Our data indicate a synergistic role for both cytoskeletal-associated BH3-only proteins, Bim, and Bmf, in an apoptotic pathway leading to the clearance of Ngo-infected cells.

  2. Comparison of COBAS AMPLICOR Neissefia gonorrhoeae PCR, including confirmation with N-gonorrhoeae-specific 16S rRNA PCR, with traditional culture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luijt, DS; Bos, PAJ; van Zwet, AA; Vader, PCV; Schirm, J

    A total of 3,023 clinical specimens were tested for Neisseria gonorrhoeae by using COBAS AMPLICOR (CA) PCR and confirmation of positives by N. gonorrhoeae-specific 16S rRNA PCR. The sensitivity of CA plus 16S rRNA PCR was 98.8%, compared to 68.2% for culture. Confirmation of CA positives increased

  3. Prevention of Ophthalmia Neonatorum Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Using a Fatty Acid-Based Formulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin P. Churchward

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Ophthalmia neonatorum, also called neonatal conjunctivitis, acquired during delivery can occur in the first 28 days of life. Commonly caused by the bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, infection can lead to corneal scarring, perforation of the eye, and blindness. One approach that can be taken to prevent the disease is the use of an ophthalmic prophylaxis, which kills the bacteria on the surface of the eye shortly after birth. Current prophylaxes are based on antibiotic ointments. However, N. gonorrhoeae is resistant to many antibiotics and alternative treatments must be developed before the condition becomes untreatable. This study focused on developing a fatty acid-based prophylaxis. For this, 37 fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives were screened in vitro for fast antigonococcal activity. Seven candidates were identified as bactericidal at 1 mM. These seven were subjected to irritation testing using three separate methods: the bovine corneal opacity and permeability (BCOP test; the hen’s egg test—chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM; and the red blood cell (RBC lysis assay. The candidates were also tested in artificial tear fluid to determine whether they were effective in this environment. Four of the candidates remained effective. Among these, two lead candidates, monocaprin and myristoleic acid, displayed the best potential as active compounds in the development of a fatty acid-based prophylaxis for prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum.

  4. The second nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan, 2012-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamasuna, Ryoichi; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Ishikawa, Kiyohito; Uehara, Shinya; Hayami, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Tetsuro; Yamamoto, Shingo; Minamitani, Shinichi; Watanabe, Akira; Iwata, Satoshi; Kaku, Mitsuo; Kadota, Junichi; Sunakawa, Keisuke; Sato, Junko; Hanaki, Hideaki; Tsukamoto, Taiji; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Egawa, Shin; Tanaka, Kazushi; Arakawa, Soichi; Fujisawa, Masato; Kumon, Hiromi; Kobayashi, Kanao; Matsubara, Akio; Naito, Seiji; Kuroiwa, Kentaro; Hirayama, Hideo; Narita, Harunori; Hosobe, Takahide; Ito, Shin; Ito, Kenji; Kawai, Shuichi; Ito, Masayasu; Chokyu, Hirofumi; Matsumura, Masaru; Yoshioka, Masaru; Uno, Satoshi; Monden, Koichi; Takayama, Kazuo; Kaji, Shinichi; Kawahara, Motoshi; Sumii, Toru; Kadena, Hitoshi; Yamaguchi, Takamasa; Maeda, Shinichi; Nishi, Shohei; Nishimura, Hirofumi; Shirane, Takeshi; Yoh, Mutsumasa; Akiyama, Kikuo; Imai, Toshio; Kano, Motonori

    2015-05-01

    Worldwide, the most important concern in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections is the increase in antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains including resistance to cephalosporins, penicillins, fluoroquinolones or macrolides. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the second nationwide surveillance study. Urethral discharge was collected from male patients with urethritis at 26 medical facilities from March 2012 to January 2013. Of the 151 specimens, 103 N. gonorrhoeae strains were tested for susceptibility to 20 antimicrobial agents. None of the strains was resistant to ceftriaxone, but the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 90% of ceftriaxone increased to 0.125 μg/ml, and 11 (10.7%) strains were considered less susceptible with an MIC of 0.125 μg/ml. There were 11 strains resistant to cefixime, and the MICs of these strains were 0.5 μg/ml. The distributions of the MICs of fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tosufloxacin, were bimodal. Sitafloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, showed strong activity against all strains, including strains resistant to other three fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tosufloxacin. The azithromycin MICs in 2 strains were 1 μg/ml. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Association of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Opa(CEA with dendritic cells suppresses their ability to elicit an HIV-1-specific T cell memory response.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qigui Yu

    Full Text Available Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae can trigger an intense local inflammatory response at the site of infection, yet there is little specific immune response or development of immune memory. Gonococcal surface epitopes are known to undergo antigenic variation; however, this is unlikely to explain the weak immune response to infection since individuals can be re-infected by the same serotype. Previous studies have demonstrated that the colony opacity-associated (Opa proteins on the N. gonorrhoeae surface can bind human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1 on CD4⁺ T cells to suppress T cell activation and proliferation. Interesting in this regard, N. gonorrhoeae infection is associated with impaired HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL responses and with transient increases in plasma viremia in HIV-1-infected patients, suggesting that N. gonorrhoeae may also subvert immune responses to co-pathogens. Since dendritic cells (DCs are professional antigen presenting cells (APCs that play a key role in the induction of an adaptive immune response, we investigated the effects of N. gonorrhoeae Opa proteins on human DC activation and function. While morphological changes reminiscent of DC maturation were evident upon N. gonorrhoeae infection, we observed a marked downregulation of DC maturation marker CD83 when the gonococci expressing CEACAM1-specific Opa(CEA, but not other Opa variants. Consistent with a gonococcal-induced defect in maturation, Opa(CEA binding to CEACAM1 reduced the DCs' capacity to stimulate an allogeneic T cell proliferative response. Moreover, Opa(CEA-expressing N. gonorrhoeae showed the potential to impair DC-dependent development of specific adaptive immunity, since infection with Opa(CEA-positive gonococci suppressed the ability of DCs to stimulate HIV-1-specific memory CTL responses. These results reveal a novel mechanism to explain

  6. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Fingerprinting for Identification of a Core Group of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Transmitters in the Population Attending a Clinic for Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    OpenAIRE

    Spaargaren, Joke; Stoof, Jeroen; Fennema, Han; Coutinho, Roel; Savelkoul, Paul

    2001-01-01

    Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis seems well suited for studying the epidemiology of isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae obtained from patients attending the Sexually Transmitted Disease Outpatient Clinic in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It shows potential to identify the core group of transmitters.

  7. Desarrollo de una Sonda de ADN de Origen Plasmídico para la identificación y detección de Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    OpenAIRE

    Torres Sánchez, María José

    2016-01-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae, es el agente causal de la gonococia, enfermedad de transmisión sexual reconocida como una de las causas principales de morbilidad en muchas zonas del mundo (Donegan, 1985). La gonococia es a menudo recurrente y ocasionalmente produce complicaciones, como la enfermedad inflamatoria pélvica –causa de embarazos ectópicos e infertilidad--, la infección gonocócica diseminada y la epididimitis, entre otras. Ya que el diagnós...

  8. Determination of in vitro synergy for dual antimicrobial therapy against resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae using Etest and agar dilution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wind, Carolien M; de Vries, Henry J C; van Dam, Alje P

    2015-03-01

    In response to antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to last-resort extended-spectrum cephalosporins, combination therapy of azithromycin+ceftriaxone is now recommended. Dual therapy can be effective to treat monoresistant strains as well as multidrug-resistant strains, preferably employing the effect of in vitro synergy. As reports on in vitro synergy of azithromycin+ceftriaxone in N. gonorrhoeae are conflicting, in this study an evaluation of this combination was performed using a cross-wise Etest method and agar dilution. Synergy was defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of ≤0.5. To identify other dual treatment options for gonorrhoea, in vitro synergy was evaluated for 65 dual antimicrobial combinations using Etest. Azithromycin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, colistin, ertapenem, fosfomycin, gentamicin, minocycline, moxifloxacin, rifampicin, spectinomycin and tigecycline were screened for synergy in all possible combinations. No synergy or antagonism was found for any of the 65 combinations. The geometric mean FICI ranged from 0.82 to 2.00. The mean FICI of azithromycin+ceftriaxone was 1.18 (Etest) and 0.55 (agar dilution). The difference between both methods did not result in a difference in interpretation of synergy. Ceftriaxone-resistant strain F89 was tested in all combinations and no synergy was found for any of them. Most importantly, the ceftriaxone minimum inhibitory concentration of F89 was not decreased below the breakpoint with any concentration of azithromycin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  9. The Biology of Neisseria Adhesins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miao-Chiu Hung

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Members of the genus Neisseria include pathogens causing important human diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia, gonorrhoea and pelvic inflammatory disease syndrome. Neisseriae are found on the exposed epithelia of the upper respiratory tract and the urogenital tract. Colonisation of these exposed epithelia is dependent on a repertoire of diverse bacterial molecules, extending not only from the surface of the bacteria but also found within the outer membrane. During invasive disease, pathogenic Neisseriae also interact with immune effector cells, vascular endothelia and the meninges. Neisseria adhesion involves the interplay of these multiple surface factors and in this review we discuss the structure and function of these important molecules and the nature of the host cell receptors and mechanisms involved in their recognition. We also describe the current status for recently identified Neisseria adhesins. Understanding the biology of Neisseria adhesins has an impact not only on the development of new vaccines but also in revealing fundamental knowledge about human biology.

  10. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Neisseria gonorrhoeae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    chronic pelvic pain, infertility, acute urethritis, cervicitis and proctitis or pharyngitis [5]. N. gonorrhoeae infections represent 106 million of the estimated 498 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infection that occur globally every year [5]. Previous studies have estimated. 3.4 million cases of gonorrhea among ...

  11. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in adolescents in Northern Italy: an observational school-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Matteelli

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We carried out a study to evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae genital infections in school-based adolescents in Northern Italy. Methods Systematic screening for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae genital infection was performed in 13th grade students in the province of Brescia, an industrialized area in Northern Italy. Student filled in a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided a urine sample for microbiological testing. Results A total of 2,718 students (mean age: 18.4 years; 59.1 % females provided complete data (62.2 % of those eligible. Overall 2,059 students (75.8 % were sexually active (i.e. had had at least one partner, and the mean age at sexual debut was 16.1 years (SD: 1.4. Only 27.5 % of the sexually active students reported regular condom use during the previous 6 months, with higher frequency in males than in females (33.8 % vs 24.2 %. No case of N. gonorrhoeae infection was detected, while C. trachomatis was found in 36 adolescents, with a prevalence of 1.7 % (95 % CI: 1.2–2.4 among sexually active students, and no statistical difference between females and males (1.9 and 1.4 %, respectively. Inconsistent condom use (odds ratio, OR = 5.5 and having had more than one sexual partner during the previous 6 months (OR = 6.8 were associated with an increased risk of Chlamydia infection at multivariate analysis. Conclusion The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active adolescents in Northern Italy was low, despite a high proportion of students who engage in risky sexual behaviour. No cases of N. gonorrhoeae infection were identified.

  12. Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis and Coinfection with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United States as Determined by the Aptima Trichomonas vaginalis Nucleic Acid Amplification Assay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapin, K.; Smith, J. S.; Aslanzadeh, J.; Snook, J.; Hill, C. S.; Gaydos, C. A.

    2012-01-01

    Our aim was to determine Trichomonas vaginalis prevalence using the Aptima Trichomonas vaginalis assay (ATV; Gen-Probe) and the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae coinfections in U.S. women undergoing screening for C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae. Discarded urogenital samples from 7,593 women (18 to 89 years old) undergoing C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae screening using the Aptima Combo 2 assay (Gen-Probe) in various clinical settings were tested with ATV. Overall, T. vaginalis, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae prevalences were 8.7%, 6.7%, and 1.7%, respectively. T. vaginalis was more prevalent than C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae in all age groups except the 18- to 19-year-old group. The highest T. vaginalis prevalence was in women ≥40 years old (>11%), while the highest C. trachomatis prevalence (9.2%) and N. gonorrhoeae prevalence (2.2%) were in women vaginalis, 0.61% for C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae and N. gonorrhoeae/T. vaginalis, and 0.24% for C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae/T. vaginalis and highest in women vaginalis prevalence differed by race/ethnicity, with the highest prevalence in black women (20.2%). T. vaginalis prevalence ranged from 5.4% in family planning clinics to 22.3% in jails. Multivariate analysis determined that ages of ≥40 years, black race, and patient locations were significantly associated with T. vaginalis infection. T. vaginalis is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in women of >40 years, while C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae prevalence is lowest in that age group. Higher T. vaginalis prevalence in women of >40 years is probably attributed to the reason for testing, i.e., symptomatic status versus routine screening in younger women. Coinfections were relatively low. High T. vaginalis prevalence in all age groups suggests that women screened for C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae, whether asymptomatic or symptomatic, should be screened for T. vaginalis. PMID:22622447

  13. Expression capable library for studies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, version 1.0

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wachocki Susi

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhea, is a serious health problem in developed as well as in developing countries, for which treatment continues to be a challenge. The recent completion of the genome sequence of the causative agent, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, opens up an entirely new set of approaches for studying this organism and the diseases it causes. Here, we describe the initial phases of the construction of an expression-capable clone set representing the protein-coding ORFs of the gonococcal genome using a recombination-based cloning system. Results The clone set thus far includes 1672 of the 2250 predicted ORFs of the N. gonorrhoeae genome, of which 1393 (83% are sequence-validated. Included in this set are 48 of the 61 ORFs of the gonococcal genetic island of strain MS11, not present in the sequenced genome of strain FA1090. L-arabinose-inducible glutathione-S-transferase (GST-fusions were constructed from random clones and each was shown to express a fusion protein of the predicted size following induction, demonstrating the use of the recombination cloning system. PCR amplicons of each ORF used in the cloning reactions were spotted onto glass slides to produce DNA microarrays representing 2035 genes of the gonococcal genome. Pilot experiments indicate that these arrays are suitable for the analysis of global gene expression in gonococci. Conclusion This archived set of Gateway® entry clones will facilitate high-throughput genomic and proteomic studies of gonococcal genes using a variety of expression and analysis systems. In addition, the DNA arrays produced will allow us to generate gene expression profiles of gonococci grown in a wide variety of conditions. Together, the resources produced in this work will facilitate experiments to dissect the molecular mechanisms of gonococcal pathogenesis on a global scale, and ultimately lead to the determination of the functions of unknown genes in the genome.

  14. The gonococcal genetic island and type IV secretion in the pathogenic Neisseria

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    Meghan E Ramsey

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Eighty percent of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains and some Neisseria meningitidis strains encode a 57 kb gonococcal genetic island (GGI. The GGI was horizontally acquired and is inserted in the chromosome at the replication terminus. The GGI is flanked by direct repeats, and site-specific recombination at these sites results in excision of the GGI and may be responsible for its original acquisition. Although the role of the GGI in N. meningitidis is unclear, the GGI in N. gonorrhoeae encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS. Type IV secretion systems are versatile multi-protein complexes and include both conjugation systems as well as effector systems that translocate either proteins or DNA-protein complexes. In N. gonorrhoeae, the T4SS secretes single-stranded chromosomal DNA into the extracellular milieu in a contact-independent manner. Importantly, the DNA secreted through the T4SS is effective in natural transformation and therefore contributes to the spread of genetic information through Neisseria populations. Mutagenesis experiments have identified genes for DNA secretion including those encoding putative structural components of the apparatus, peptidoglycanases which may act in assembly, and relaxosome components for processing the DNA and delivering it to the apparatus. The T4SS may also play a role in infection by N. gonorrhoeae. During intracellular infection, N. gonorrhoeae requires the Ton complex for iron acquisition and survival. However, N. gonorrhoeae strains that do not express the Ton complex can survive intracellularly if they express structural components of the T4SS. These data provide evidence that the T4SS is expressed during intracellular infection and suggest that the T4SS may provide an advantage for intracellular survival. Here we review our current understanding of how the GGI and type IV secretion affect natural transformation and pathogenesis in N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis.

  15. Recruitment of a penicillin-binding protein gene from Neisseria flavescens during the emergence of penicillin resistance in Neisseria meningitidis

    OpenAIRE

    SPRATT, BG; ZHANG, QY; JONES, DM; HUTCHISON, A; BRANNIGAN, JA; DOWSON, CG

    1989-01-01

    Non-beta-lactamase-producing, penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria meningitidis produce altered forms of penicillin-binding protein 2 that have decreased affinity for penicillin. The sequence of the penicillin-binding protein 2 gene (penA) from a penicillin-resistant strain of N. meningitidis was compared to the sequence of the same gene from penicillin-sensitive strains and from penicillin-sensitive and penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The penA genes from penicilli...

  16. Expansion of a urethritis-associated Neisseria meningitidis clade in the United States with concurrent acquisition of N. gonorrhoeae alleles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Retchless, Adam C; Kretz, Cécilia B; Chang, How-Yi; Bazan, Jose A; Abrams, A Jeanine; Norris Turner, Abigail; Jenkins, Laurel T; Trees, David L; Tzeng, Yih-Ling; Stephens, David S; MacNeil, Jessica R; Wang, Xin

    2018-03-02

    Increased reports of Neisseria meningitidis urethritis in multiple U.S. cities during 2015 have been attributed to the emergence of a novel clade of nongroupable N. meningitidis within the ST-11 clonal complex, the "U.S. NmNG urethritis clade". Genetic recombination with N. gonorrhoeae has been proposed to enable efficient sexual transmission by this clade. To understand the evolutionary origin and diversification of the U.S. NmNG urethritis clade, whole-genome phylogenetic analysis was performed to identify its members among the N. meningitidis strain collection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 209 urogenital and rectal N. meningitidis isolates submitted by U.S. public health departments in eleven states starting in 2015. The earliest representatives of the U.S. NmNG urethritis clade were identified from cases of invasive disease that occurred in 2013. Among 209 urogenital and rectal isolates submitted from January 2015 to September 2016, the clade accounted for 189/198 male urogenital isolates, 3/4 female urogenital isolates, and 1/7 rectal isolates. In total, members of the clade were isolated in thirteen states between 2013 and 2016, which evolved from a common ancestor that likely existed during 2011. The ancestor contained N. gonorrhoeae-like alleles in three regions of its genome, two of which may facilitate nitrite-dependent anaerobic growth during colonization of urogenital sites. Additional gonococcal-like alleles were acquired as the clade diversified. Notably, one isolate contained a sequence associated with azithromycin resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, but no other gonococcal antimicrobial resistance determinants were detected. Interspecies genetic recombination contributed to the early evolution and subsequent diversification of the U.S. NmNG urethritis clade. Ongoing acquisition of N. gonorrhoeae alleles by the U.S. NmNG urethritis clade may facilitate the expansion of its ecological niche while also increasing the

  17. Infection of Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells with Neisseria gonorrhoeae Protects Cells from Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Apoptosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Priscilla; Reyes, Paz; Vargas, Macarena; Rios, Miguel; Imarai, Mónica; Cardenas, Hugo; Croxatto, Horacio; Orihuela, Pedro; Vargas, Renato; Fuhrer, Juan; Heckels, John E.; Christodoulides, Myron; Velasquez, Luis

    2006-01-01

    Following infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, bacteria may ascend into the Fallopian tubes (FT) and induce salpingitis, a major cause of infertility. In the FT, interactions between mucosal epithelial cells and gonococci are pivotal events in the pathogen's infection cycle and the inflammatory response. In the current study, primary FT epithelial cells were infected in vitro with different multiplicities of infection (MOI) of Pil+ Opa+ gonococci. Bacteria showed a dose-dependent association with cells and induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). A significant finding was that gonococcal infection (MOI = 1) induced apoptosis in approximately 30% of cells, whereas increasing numbers of bacteria (MOI = 10 to 100) did not induce apoptosis. Apoptosis was observed in only 11% of cells with associated bacteria, whereas >84% of cells with no adherent bacteria were apoptotic. TNF-α was a key contributor to apoptosis, since (i) culture supernatants from cells infected with gonococci (MOI = 1) induced apoptosis in naïve cultures, suggesting that a soluble factor was responsible; (ii) gonococcal infection-induced apoptosis was inhibited with anti-TNF-α antibodies; and (iii) the addition of exogenous TNF-α induced apoptosis, which was inhibited by the presence of increasing numbers of bacteria (MOI = 10 to 100). These data suggest that TNF-α-mediated apoptosis of FT epithelial cells is likely a primary host defense mechanism to prevent pathogen colonization. However, epithelial cell-associated gonococci have evolved a mechanism to protect the cells from undergoing TNF-α-mediated apoptosis, and this modulation of the host innate response may contribute to establishment of infection. Understanding the antiapoptotic mechanisms used by Neisseria gonorrhoeae will inform the pathogenesis of salpingitis and could suggest new intervention strategies for prevention and treatment of the disease. PMID:16714596

  18. Multiple mechanisms of phase variation of PorA in Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Ende, A.; Hopman, C. T.; Dankert, J.

    2000-01-01

    Previously, we reported that PorA expression in Neisseria meningitidis is modulated by variation in the length of the homopolymeric tract of guanidine residues between the -35 and -10 regions of the promoter or by deletion of porA. To reveal additional mechanisms of variation in PorA expression, the

  19. Overall Low Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin Resistance but high Azithromycin Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 24 European Countries, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Michelle J; Spiteri, Gianfranco; Jacobsson, Susanne; Woodford, Neil; Tripodo, Francesco; Amato-Gauci, Andrew J; Unemo, Magnus

    2017-09-11

    Surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility in Europe is performed through the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP), which additionally provides data to inform the European gonorrhoea treatment guideline; currently recommending ceftriaxone 500 mg plus azithromycin 2 g as first-line therapy. We present antimicrobial susceptibility data from 24 European countries in 2015, linked to epidemiological data of patients, and compare the results to Euro-GASP data from previous years. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by MIC gradient strips or agar dilution methodology was performed on 2134 N. gonorrhoeae isolates and interpreted using EUCAST breakpoints. Patient variables associated with resistance were established using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs). In 2015, 1.7% of isolates were cefixime resistant compared to 2.0% in 2014. Ceftriaxone resistance was detected in only one (0.05%) isolate in 2015, compared with five (0.2%) in 2014. Azithromycin resistance was detected in 7.1% of isolates in 2015 (7.9% in 2014), and five (0.2%) isolates displayed high-level azithromycin resistance (MIC ≥ 256 mg/L) compared with one (0.05%) in 2014. Ciprofloxacin resistance remained high (49.4%, vs. 50.7% in 2014). Cefixime resistance significantly increased among heterosexual males (4.1% vs. 1.7% in 2014), which was mainly attributable to data from two countries with high cefixime resistance (~11%), however rates among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and females continued to decline to 0.5% and 1%, respectively. Azithromycin resistance in MSM and heterosexual males was higher (both 8.1%) than in females (4.9% vs. 2.2% in 2014). The association between azithromycin resistance and previous gonorrhoea infection, observed in 2014, continued in 2015 (OR 2.1, CI 1.2-3.5, p resistance and low overall resistance to ceftriaxone and cefixime. The low cephalosporin resistance may be attributable to the effectiveness

  20. Arginine- and Polyamine-Induced Lactic Acid Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

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    Zheng Gong

    Full Text Available Microbe-derived lactic acid protects women from pathogens in their genital tract. The purpose of this study was to determine lactic acid susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and identify potential acid resistance mechanisms present in this pathogen. Tested in vitro, lactic acid killed all 10 gonococcal strains analyzed in a low pH-dependent manner. Full inactivation occurred at pH 4.5. At low pH, lactic acid treatment resulted in the entry of the DNA-binding fluorochrome propidium iodide into the microbial cells, suggesting that hydrogen ions from lactic acid compromise the integrity of the bacterial cell wall/membrane. Most likely, hydrogen ions also inactivate intracellular proteins since arginine rendered significant protection against lactic acid presumably through action of the gonococcal arginine decarboxylase, an enzyme located in the bacterial cytoplasm. Surprisingly, arginine also lessened lactic acid-mediated cell wall/membrane disruption. This effect is probably mediated by agmatine, a triamine product of arginine decarboxylase, since agmatine demonstrated a stronger protective effect on GC than arginine at equal molar concentration. In addition to agmatine, diamines cadaverine and putrescine, which are generated by bacterial vaginosis-associated microbes, also induced significant resistance to lactic acid-mediated GC killing and cell wall/membrane disruption. These findings suggest that the arginine-rich semen protects gonococci through both neutralization-dependent and independent mechanisms, whereas polyamine-induced acid resistance contributes to the increased risk of gonorrhea in women with bacterial vaginosis.

  1. Quality assurance for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Latin American and Caribbean countries, 2013-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawatzky, Pam; Martin, Irene; Galarza, Patricia; Carvallo, Marıa Elena Trigoso; Araya Rodriguez, Pamela; Cruz, Olga Marina Sanabria; Hernandez, Alina Llop; Martinez, Mario Fabian; Borthagaray, Graciela; Payares, Daisy; Moreno, José E; Chiappe, Marina; Corredor, Aura Helena; Thakur, Sidharath Dev; Dillon, Jo-Anne R

    2018-04-19

    A Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility quality control comparison programme was re-established in Latin America and the Caribbean to ensure antimicrobial susceptibility data produced from the region are comparable nationally and internationally. Three panels, consisting of N. gonorrhoeae isolates comprising reference strains and other characterised isolates were sent to 11 participating laboratories between 2013 and 2015. Antimicrobial susceptibilities for these isolates were determined using agar dilution, Etest or disc diffusion methods. Modal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for each panel isolate/antibiotic combination were calculated. The guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute were used for interpretations of antimicrobial susceptibility. The agreement of MICs with the modal MICs was determined for each of the participating laboratories as well as for each of the antibiotics tested. Five of 11 laboratories that participated in at least one panel had an overall average agreement between participants' MIC results and modal MICs of >90%. For other laboratories, agreements ranged from 60.0% to 82.4%. The proportion of agreement between interpretations for all the antibiotics, except penicillin and tetracycline, was >90%. The percentages of agreement between MIC results and their modes for erythromycin, spectinomycin, cefixime and azithromycin were >90%. Tetracycline, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin agreement ranged from 84.5% to 89.1%, while penicillin had 78.8% agreement between MICs and modal MICs. The participating laboratories had acceptable results, similar to other international quality assurance programmes. It is important to ensure continuation of the International Gonococcal Antimicrobial Susceptibility Quality Control Comparison Programme to ensure that participants can identify and correct any problems in antimicrobial susceptibility testing for N. gonorrhoeae as they arise and continue to generate reproducible

  2. Utility of pooled urine specimens for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in men attending public sexually transmitted infection clinics in Mumbai, India, by PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindan, Christina; Mathur, Meenakshi; Kumta, Sameer; Jerajani, Hermangi; Gogate, Alka; Schachter, Julius; Moncada, Jeanne

    2005-04-01

    Pooling urogenital specimens for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by nucleic acid amplification tests is an attractive alternative to individual testing. As pooling can reduce the costs of testing as well as labor, it has been advocated for use in resource-poor settings. However, it has neither been widely adopted nor evaluated for use in developing countries. We evaluated the practical use of pooling first-catch urine (FCU) specimens for the detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae from 690 men in Mumbai, India, by PCR. FCU, urethral smears, and swabs were collected from men seen at two sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics. All laboratory testing was done at the Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital. Gram stain smears and culture isolation for N. gonorrhoeae were performed. Each FCU was tested individually and in pools using the Roche Amplicor PCR for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae with an internal control for inhibition. Specimen pools consisted of aliquots from five consecutively processed FCUs combined into an amplification tube. An optical density reading of > or =0.20 indicated a pool for which subsequent testing of individual samples was required. Prevalence by PCR on single specimens was 2.2% (15/690) for C. trachomatis and 5.4% (37/690) for N. gonorrhoeae. Compared to individual FCU results, pooling for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae had an overall sensitivity of 96.1% (50/52). Specificity was 96.5% (83/86) in that three pools required single testing that failed to identify a positive specimen. Pooling missed two positive specimens, decreased the inhibition rate, and saved 50.3% of reagent costs. In this resource-limited setting, the use of pooling to detect C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae by PCR proved to be a simple, accurate, and cost-effective procedure compared to individual testing.

  3. A misleading urethral smear with polymorphonuclear leucocytes and intracellular diplococci; case report of urethritis caused by Neisseria meningitidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genders, R E; Spitaels, D; Jansen, C L; van den Akker, Th W; Quint, K D

    2013-12-01

    The primary pathogens found in men with urethritis are Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Rapid diagnosis of N. gonorrhoeae infection can be made based on a Gram- or methylene blue-stained urethral smear. We describe a case of a man with purulent penile discharge, in which microscopic examination led to the presumptive diagnosis of gonorrhoea. A nucleic acid amplification test was negative for N. gonorrhoeae but positive for C. trachomatis. Culture showed Gram-negative diplococci which were identified as Neisseria meningitidis. N. meningitidis can be sporadically pathogenic in the genito-urinary tract and mimicks gonococcal urethritis, and appears identical by microscopy. When a gonococcal urethritis is suspected based on clinical signs and microscopic examination, but investigatory tests cannot confirm the diagnosis, a N. meningitidis infection should be considered.

  4. Comparison of three methods for identification of pathogenic Neisseria species

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Appelbaum, P.C.; Lawrence, R.B.

    1979-05-01

    A radiometric procedure was compared with the Minitek and Cystine Trypticase Agar sugar degradation methods for identification of 113 Neisseria species (58 Neisseria meningitidis, 51 Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 2 Neisseria lactamica, 2 Neisseria sicca). Identification of meningococci and gonoccoi was confirmed by agglutination and fluorescent antibody techniques, respectively. The Minitek method identified 97% of meningococci, 92% of gonococci, and 100% of other Neisseria after 4 h of incubation. The radiometric (Bactec) procedure identified 100% of gonococci and 100% of miscellaneous Neisseria after 3 h, but problems were encountered with meningococci: 45% of the later strains yielded index values for fructose between 20 and 28 (recommended negative cut-off point, less than 20), with strongly positive (greater than 100) glucose and maltose and negative o-nitrophenyl-beta-0-galactopyranoside reactions in all 58 strains. The Cystine Trypticase Agar method identified 91% of meningococci, ases.

  5. Celulitis por Neisseria meningitidis: comunicación de un caso

    OpenAIRE

    Lissarrague, Sabina; Bernstein, Judith Celina; Schell, Celia María; Stagnaro, J. P.; De Luca, María Marta; López, M.; Basualdo Farjat, Juan Ángel; Sparo, Mónica

    2017-01-01

    Objetivo: comunicar un caso de celulitis por Neisseria meningitidis en muslo izquierdo en un lactante atendido en el Hospital de Niños del Municipio de Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires e investigar la portación familiar de esta bacteria.

  6. Case Report of Urethritis in a Male Patient Infected with Two Different Isolates of Multiple Drug-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lamiaa Al-Madboly

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available We report a brief description of a case suffering from bacterial urethritis, conjunctivitis, and arthritis, caused by two different isolates of multiple drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Initial diagnosis was dependent on the patient history, clinical findings, symptoms, and the bacteriological data. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the identification of the pathogens. Random amplified polymorphic DNA revealed two different patterns. Susceptibility testing was performed using Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration was also determined. It revealed multiple drug resistance associated with β-lactamase production. Only gentamicin, rifampicin, and azithromycin were active against the test pathogens. A dual therapy was initiated using gentamicin as well as azithromycin to treat the possible co-infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. Complete recovery of the patient achieved with resolved symptoms a week later.

  7. Case Report of Urethritis in a Male Patient Infected with Two Different Isolates of Multiple Drug-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Madboly, Lamiaa; Gheida, Shereen

    2017-01-01

    We report a brief description of a case suffering from bacterial urethritis, conjunctivitis, and arthritis, caused by two different isolates of multiple drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae . Initial diagnosis was dependent on the patient history, clinical findings, symptoms, and the bacteriological data. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the identification of the pathogens. Random amplified polymorphic DNA revealed two different patterns. Susceptibility testing was performed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration was also determined. It revealed multiple drug resistance associated with β-lactamase production. Only gentamicin, rifampicin, and azithromycin were active against the test pathogens. A dual therapy was initiated using gentamicin as well as azithromycin to treat the possible co-infection with Chlamydia trachomatis . Complete recovery of the patient achieved with resolved symptoms a week later.

  8. Resistance to β-Lactams in Neisseria ssp Due to Chromosomally Encoded Penicillin-Binding Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zapun, André; Morlot, Cécile; Taha, Muhamed-Kheir

    2016-09-28

    Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are human pathogens that cause a variety of life-threatening systemic and local infections, such as meningitis or gonorrhoea. The treatment of such infection is becoming more difficult due to antibiotic resistance. The focus of this review is on the mechanism of reduced susceptibility to penicillin and other β-lactams due to the modification of chromosomally encoded penicillin-binding proteins (PBP), in particular PBP2 encoded by the penA gene. The variety of penA alleles and resulting variant PBP2 enzymes is described and the important amino acid substitutions are presented and discussed in a structural context.

  9. Prevalent serogroups and antibiotic sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aggarwal S

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available One hundred and thirty two cases clinically labeled as acute gonorrhoea were investigated for gonococcal etiology. Smears were positive in 110 (83.3% cases and among these N. gonorrhoeae could be identified in 102 (77.3% cases by culture method. Strains were examined for serogrouping by monoclonal GC test which utilizes the principle of co-agglutination and detects the antigens of outer membrane protein. 96(94.1% strains belonged to serogroup W II/III, showing it to be the major serogroup circulating in the community. The strains were tested for sensitivity against 7 antibiotics. The largest proportion (30.4% of strains were resistant to penicillin (MIC>O. 125 IU/ml. Resistance to cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, cephalaxin and tetracycline was noted as 18.6, 17.6, 7.8 and 5.8 percent respectively. Strains showing resistance concurrently to two or more drugs were observed. All restrains were sensitive to gentamicin and norfloxacin. None of the strains was penicillinase producer.

  10. NeisseriaBase: a specialised Neisseria genomic resource and analysis platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wenning; Mutha, Naresh V R; Heydari, Hamed; Dutta, Avirup; Siow, Cheuk Chuen; Jakubovics, Nicholas S; Wee, Wei Yee; Tan, Shi Yang; Ang, Mia Yang; Wong, Guat Jah; Choo, Siew Woh

    2016-01-01

    Background. The gram-negative Neisseria is associated with two of the most potent human epidemic diseases: meningococcal meningitis and gonorrhoea. In both cases, disease is caused by bacteria colonizing human mucosal membrane surfaces. Overall, the genus shows great diversity and genetic variation mainly due to its ability to acquire and incorporate genetic material from a diverse range of sources through horizontal gene transfer. Although a number of databases exist for the Neisseria genomes, they are mostly focused on the pathogenic species. In this present study we present the freely available NeisseriaBase, a database dedicated to the genus Neisseria encompassing the complete and draft genomes of 15 pathogenic and commensal Neisseria species. Methods. The genomic data were retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and annotated using the RAST server which were then stored into the MySQL database. The protein-coding genes were further analyzed to obtain information such as calculation of GC content (%), predicted hydrophobicity and molecular weight (Da) using in-house Perl scripts. The web application was developed following the secure four-tier web application architecture: (1) client workstation, (2) web server, (3) application server, and (4) database server. The web interface was constructed using PHP, JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX and CSS, utilizing the model-view-controller (MVC) framework. The in-house developed bioinformatics tools implemented in NeisseraBase were developed using Python, Perl, BioPerl and R languages. Results. Currently, NeisseriaBase houses 603,500 Coding Sequences (CDSs), 16,071 RNAs and 13,119 tRNA genes from 227 Neisseria genomes. The database is equipped with interactive web interfaces. Incorporation of the JBrowse genome browser in the database enables fast and smooth browsing of Neisseria genomes. NeisseriaBase includes the standard BLAST program to facilitate homology searching, and for Virulence Factor

  11. NeisseriaBase: a specialised Neisseria genomic resource and analysis platform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenning Zheng

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Background. The gram-negative Neisseria is associated with two of the most potent human epidemic diseases: meningococcal meningitis and gonorrhoea. In both cases, disease is caused by bacteria colonizing human mucosal membrane surfaces. Overall, the genus shows great diversity and genetic variation mainly due to its ability to acquire and incorporate genetic material from a diverse range of sources through horizontal gene transfer. Although a number of databases exist for the Neisseria genomes, they are mostly focused on the pathogenic species. In this present study we present the freely available NeisseriaBase, a database dedicated to the genus Neisseria encompassing the complete and draft genomes of 15 pathogenic and commensal Neisseria species. Methods. The genomic data were retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI and annotated using the RAST server which were then stored into the MySQL database. The protein-coding genes were further analyzed to obtain information such as calculation of GC content (%, predicted hydrophobicity and molecular weight (Da using in-house Perl scripts. The web application was developed following the secure four-tier web application architecture: (1 client workstation, (2 web server, (3 application server, and (4 database server. The web interface was constructed using PHP, JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX and CSS, utilizing the model-view-controller (MVC framework. The in-house developed bioinformatics tools implemented in NeisseraBase were developed using Python, Perl, BioPerl and R languages. Results. Currently, NeisseriaBase houses 603,500 Coding Sequences (CDSs, 16,071 RNAs and 13,119 tRNA genes from 227 Neisseria genomes. The database is equipped with interactive web interfaces. Incorporation of the JBrowse genome browser in the database enables fast and smooth browsing of Neisseria genomes. NeisseriaBase includes the standard BLAST program to facilitate homology searching, and for Virulence

  12. Evaluation of sexual history-based screening of anatomic sites for chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in men having sex with men in routine practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jansen Casper L

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sexually transmitted infection (STI screening programmes are implemented in many countries to decrease burden of STI and to improve sexual health. Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae has a prominent role in these protocols. Most of the screening programmes concerning men having sex with men (MSM are based on opportunistic urethral testing. In The Netherlands, a history-based approach is used. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protocol of screening anatomic sites for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection based on sexual history in MSM in routine practice in The Netherlands. Methods All MSM visiting the clinic for STI in The Hague are routinely asked about their sexual practice during consulting. As per protocol, tests for urogenital, oropharyngeal and anorectal infection are obtained based on reported site(s of sexual contact. All consultations are entered into a database as part of the national STI monitoring system. Data of an 18 months period were retrieved from this database and analysed. Results A total of 1455 consultations in MSM were registered during the study period. The prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae per anatomic site was: urethral infection 4.0% respectively and 2.8%, oropharynx 1.5% and 4.2%, and anorectum 8.2% and 6.0%. The majority of chlamydia cases (72% involved a single anatomic site, which was especially manifest for anorectal infections (79%, while 42% of gonorrhoea cases were single site. Twenty-six percent of MSM with anorectal chlamydia and 17% with anorectal gonorrhoea reported symptoms of proctitis; none of the oropharyngeal infections were symptomatic. Most cases of anorectal infection (83% and oropharyngeal infection (100% would have remained undiagnosed with a symptom-based protocol. Conclusions The current strategy of sexual-history based screening of multiple anatomic sites for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in MSM is a useful and valid guideline

  13. Phosphoethanolamine Modification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Lipid A Reduces Autophagy Flux in Macrophages.

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    Susu M Zughaier

    Full Text Available Autophagy, an ancient homeostasis mechanism for macromolecule degradation, performs an important role in host defense by facilitating pathogen elimination. To counteract this host defense strategy, bacterial pathogens have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid or otherwise dysregulate autophagy by phagocytic cells so as to enhance their survival during infection. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a strictly human pathogen that causes the sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhea. Phosphoethanolamine (PEA addition to the 4' position of the lipid A (PEA-lipid A moiety of the lipooligosaccharide (LOS produced by gonococci performs a critical role in this pathogen's ability to evade innate defenses by conferring decreased susceptibility to cationic antimicrobial (or host-defense peptides, complement-mediated killing by human serum and intraleukocytic killing by human neutrophils compared to strains lacking this PEA decoration. Heretofore, however, it was not known if gonococci can evade autophagy and if so, whether PEA-lipid A contributes to this ability. Accordingly, by using murine macrophages and human macrophage-like phagocytic cell lines we investigated if PEA decoration of gonococcal lipid A modulates autophagy formation. We report that infection with PEA-lipid A-producing gonococci significantly reduced autophagy flux in murine and human macrophages and enhanced gonococcal survival during their association with macrophages compared to a PEA-deficient lipid A mutant. Our results provide further evidence that PEA-lipid A produced by gonococci is a critical component in the ability of this human pathogen to evade host defenses.

  14. Prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas Vaginalis Infection in Chilean Adolescents and Young Adults.

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    Huneeus, Andrea; Schilling, Andrea; Fernandez, Mario I

    2018-02-01

    To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis infection in sexually active Chilean adolescents and young adults. A comparative analysis was performed between genders to identify demographic, clinical, and sexual behavior characteristics to predict the occurrence of C trachomatis. Analytical observational study. Santiago, Chile. Two hundred eighty-six sexually active volunteers aged 24 years or younger (171 female and 115 male); 82.9% (237/286) of them were classified as having high socioeconomic status. Confidential survey and self-collected samples (urine for men and vaginal swabs for women). Prevalence, demographic characteristics, symptoms, and sexual behavior characteristics. The prevalence rate of C trachomatis was 8.7% (10/115) in men and 8.8% (15/171) in women (P = .58). N gonorrhoeae was detected in 1 subject, whereas no T vaginalis cases were detected. In multivariate analysis, having some college education was protective (odds ratio [OR], 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.89), whereas having a higher number of sexual partners was a risk factor (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3) for C trachomatis infection. The latter was also predicted by postcoital bleeding (OR, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.30-16.23) in the female model. C trachomatis infection rates were similar between both genders. Protective characteristics for the occurrence of this infection were having some college education, lower number of sexual partners, and if female, the absence of postcoital bleeding. This study highlights the importance of C trachomatis screening among the Chilean affluent population younger than 25 years. However, further studies are needed in a more diverse and representative sample to recommend universal screening in Chilean adolescents and young adults. Copyright © 2018 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Cluster of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates With High-level Azithromycin Resistance and Decreased Ceftriaxone Susceptibility, Hawaii, 2016.

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    Katz, Alan R; Komeya, Alan Y; Kirkcaldy, Robert D; Whelen, A Christian; Soge, Olusegun O; Papp, John R; Kersh, Ellen N; Wasserman, Glenn M; O'Connor, Norman P; O'Brien, Pamela S; Sato, Douglas T; Maningas, Eloisa V; Kunimoto, Gail Y; Tomas, Juval E

    2017-09-15

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends dual therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin for gonorrhea to ensure effective treatment and slow emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Since 2013, the prevalence of reduced azithromycin susceptibility increased in the United States; however, these strains were highly susceptible to cephalosporins. We identified a cluster of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with high-level azithromycin resistance, several of which also demonstrated decreased ceftriaxone susceptibility. Eight N. gonorrhoeae isolates collected from 7 patients on Oahu, Hawaii, seen 21 April 2016 through 10 May 2016 underwent routine Etest antimicrobial susceptibility testing by the Hawaii Department of Health. All demonstrated elevated azithromycin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) >256 μg/mL and elevated ceftriaxone MICs (≥0.125 μg/mL). Isolates were sent to the University of Washington and CDC for confirmatory agar dilution testing; sequence data were sent to CDC for analysis. All patients were interviewed and treated, and when possible, partners were interviewed, tested, and treated. All isolates had azithromycin MICs >16 µg/mL and 5 had ceftriaxone MICs = 0.125 µg/mL by agar dilution. All isolates were β-lactamase positive and were resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. Genomic analysis revealed genetic relatedness. No patients reported recent travel or antibiotic use, and no male patients reported male sex partners. All patients were successfully treated. This cluster of genetically related gonococcal isolates with decreased ceftriaxone susceptibility and high-level azithromycin resistance may bring the threat of treatment failure in the United States with the current recommended dual therapy one step closer. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from patients attending a public referral center for sexually transmitted diseases in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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    Ligia Maria Bedeschi Costa

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates obtained from patients attending a public referral center for sexually transmitted diseases and specialized care services (STD/SCS in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Methods Between March 2011 and February 2012, 201 specimens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were consecutively obtained from men with symptoms of urethritis and women with symptons of cervicitis or were obtained during their initial consultation. The strains were tested using the disk diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of azithromycin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, penicillin, tetracycline and spectinomycin were determined using the E-test. Results The specimens were 100% sensitive to cefixime, ceftriaxone and spectinomycin and exhibited resistances of 4.5% (9/201, 21.4% (43/201, 11.9% (24/201, 22.4% (45/201 and 32.3% (65/201 to azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, penicillin and tetracycline, respectively. Intermediate sensitivities of 17.9% (36/201, 4% (8/201, 16.9% (34/201, 71.1% (143/201 and 22.9% (46/201 were observed for azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, penicillin and tetracycline, respectively. The specimens had plasmid-mediated resistance to penicillin PPNG 14.5% (29/201 and tetracycline TRNG 11.5% (23/201. Conclusions The high percentage of detected resistance to penicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin indicates that these antibiotics are not appropriate for gonorrhea treatment at the Health Clinic and possibly in Belo Horizonte. The resistance and intermediate sensitivity of these isolates indicates that caution is recommended in the use of azithromycin and emphasizes the need to establish mechanisms for the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance for the effective control of gonorrhea.

  17. Antimicrobial Resistance Expressed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: A Major Global Public Health Problem in the 21st Century.

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    Unemo, Magnus; Del Rio, Carlos; Shafer, William M

    2016-06-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a strictly human pathogen that is typically transmitted by sexual contact. The associated disease gonorrhea has plagued humankind for thousands of years, with a current estimated incidence of 78 million cases per year. Advances in antimicrobial discovery in the 1920s and 1930s leading to the discovery of sulfonamides and penicillin begun the era of effective antimicrobial treatment of gonorrhea. Unfortunately, the gonococcus developed decreased susceptibility or even resistance to these initially employed antibiotics, a trend that continued over subsequent decades with each new antibiotic that was brought into clinical practice. As this pattern of resistance has continued into the 21st century, there is now reason for great concern, especially in an era when few new antibiotics have prospects for use as treatment of gonorrhea. Here, we review the history of gonorrhea treatment regimens and gonococcal resistance to antibiotics, the mechanisms of resistance, resistance monitoring schemes that exist in different international settings, global responses to the challenge of resistance, and prospects for future treatment regimens in the 21st century.

  18. Deletion of porA by recombination between clusters of repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences in Neisseria meningitidis

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    van der Ende, A.; Hopman, C. T.; Dankert, J.

    1999-01-01

    PorA is an important component in a vaccine against infection with Neisseria meningitidis. However, porA-negative meningococci were isolated from patients, thereby potentially limiting the role of PorA-mediated immunity. To analyze the mechanism by which the porA deletion occurred, the regions

  19. Estimating the fitness cost and benefit of cefixime resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to inform prescription policy: A modelling study.

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    Lilith K Whittles

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Gonorrhoea is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections in England. Over 41,000 cases were recorded in 2015, more than half of which occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM. As the bacterium has developed resistance to each first-line antibiotic in turn, we need an improved understanding of fitness benefits and costs of antibiotic resistance to inform control policy and planning. Cefixime was recommended as a single-dose treatment for gonorrhoea from 2005 to 2010, during which time resistance increased, and subsequently declined.We developed a stochastic compartmental model representing the natural history and transmission of cefixime-sensitive and cefixime-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in MSM in England, which was applied to data on diagnoses and prescriptions between 2008 and 2015. We estimated that asymptomatic carriers play a crucial role in overall transmission dynamics, with 37% (95% credible interval CrI 24%-52% of infections remaining asymptomatic and untreated, accounting for 89% (95% CrI 82%-93% of onward transmission. The fitness cost of cefixime resistance in the absence of cefixime usage was estimated to be such that the number of secondary infections caused by resistant strains is only about half as much as for the susceptible strains, which is insufficient to maintain persistence. However, we estimated that treatment of cefixime-resistant strains with cefixime was unsuccessful in 83% (95% CrI 53%-99% of cases, representing a fitness benefit of resistance. This benefit was large enough to counterbalance the fitness cost when 31% (95% CrI 26%-36% of cases were treated with cefixime, and when more than 55% (95% CrI 44%-66% of cases were treated with cefixime, the resistant strain had a net fitness advantage over the susceptible strain. Limitations include sparse data leading to large intervals on key model parameters and necessary assumptions in the modelling of a complex epidemiological process

  20. Deep sequencing-based analysis of the anaerobic stimulon in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

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    Clark Virginia L

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maintenance of an anaerobic denitrification system in the obligate human pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, suggests that an anaerobic lifestyle may be important during the course of infection. Furthermore, mounting evidence suggests that reduction of host-produced nitric oxide has several immunomodulary effects on the host. However, at this point there have been no studies analyzing the complete gonococcal transcriptome response to anaerobiosis. Here we performed deep sequencing to compare the gonococcal transcriptomes of aerobically and anaerobically grown cells. Using the information derived from this sequencing, we discuss the implications of the robust transcriptional response to anaerobic growth. Results We determined that 198 chromosomal genes were differentially expressed (~10% of the genome in response to anaerobic conditions. We also observed a large induction of genes encoded within the cryptic plasmid, pJD1. Validation of RNA-seq data using translational-lacZ fusions or RT-PCR demonstrated the RNA-seq results to be very reproducible. Surprisingly, many genes of prophage origin were induced anaerobically, as well as several transcriptional regulators previously unknown to be involved in anaerobic growth. We also confirmed expression and regulation of a small RNA, likely a functional equivalent of fnrS in the Enterobacteriaceae family. We also determined that many genes found to be responsive to anaerobiosis have also been shown to be responsive to iron and/or oxidative stress. Conclusions Gonococci will be subject to many forms of environmental stress, including oxygen-limitation, during the course of infection. Here we determined that the anaerobic stimulon in gonococci was larger than previous studies would suggest. Many new targets for future research have been uncovered, and the results derived from this study may have helped to elucidate factors or mechanisms of virulence that may have otherwise been overlooked.

  1. Neisseria gonorrhoeae co-infection exacerbates vaginal HIV shedding without affecting systemic viral loads in human CD34+ engrafted mice.

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    Stacey X Xu

    Full Text Available HIV synergy with sexually transmitted co-infections is well-documented in the clinic. Co-infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae in particular, increases genital HIV shedding and mucosal transmission. However, no animal model of co-infection currently exists to directly explore this relationship or to bridge the gap in understanding between clinical and in vitro studies of this interaction. This study aims to test the feasibility of using a humanized mouse model to overcome this barrier. Combining recent in vivo modelling advancements in both HIV and gonococcal research, we developed a co-infection model by engrafting immunodeficient NSG mice with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells to generate humanized mice that permit both systemic HIV infection and genital N. gonorrhoeae infection. Systemic plasma and vaginal lavage titres of HIV were measured in order to assess the impact of gonococcal challenge on viral plasma titres and genital shedding. Engrafted mice showed human CD45+ leukocyte repopulation in blood and mucosal tissues. Systemic HIV challenge resulted in 104-105 copies/mL of viral RNA in blood by week 4 post-infection, as well as vaginal shedding of virus. Subsequent gonococcal challenge resulted in unchanged plasma HIV levels but higher viral shedding in the genital tract, which reflects published clinical observations. Thus, human CD34+ stem cell-transplanted NSG mice represent an experimentally tractable animal model in which to study HIV shedding during gonococcal co-infection, allowing dissection of molecular and immunological interactions between these pathogens, and providing a platform to assess future therapeutics aimed at reducing HIV transmission.

  2. Neisseria gonorrhoeae co-infection exacerbates vaginal HIV shedding without affecting systemic viral loads in human CD34+ engrafted mice.

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    Xu, Stacey X; Leontyev, Danila; Kaul, Rupert; Gray-Owen, Scott D

    2018-01-01

    HIV synergy with sexually transmitted co-infections is well-documented in the clinic. Co-infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae in particular, increases genital HIV shedding and mucosal transmission. However, no animal model of co-infection currently exists to directly explore this relationship or to bridge the gap in understanding between clinical and in vitro studies of this interaction. This study aims to test the feasibility of using a humanized mouse model to overcome this barrier. Combining recent in vivo modelling advancements in both HIV and gonococcal research, we developed a co-infection model by engrafting immunodeficient NSG mice with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells to generate humanized mice that permit both systemic HIV infection and genital N. gonorrhoeae infection. Systemic plasma and vaginal lavage titres of HIV were measured in order to assess the impact of gonococcal challenge on viral plasma titres and genital shedding. Engrafted mice showed human CD45+ leukocyte repopulation in blood and mucosal tissues. Systemic HIV challenge resulted in 104-105 copies/mL of viral RNA in blood by week 4 post-infection, as well as vaginal shedding of virus. Subsequent gonococcal challenge resulted in unchanged plasma HIV levels but higher viral shedding in the genital tract, which reflects published clinical observations. Thus, human CD34+ stem cell-transplanted NSG mice represent an experimentally tractable animal model in which to study HIV shedding during gonococcal co-infection, allowing dissection of molecular and immunological interactions between these pathogens, and providing a platform to assess future therapeutics aimed at reducing HIV transmission.

  3. Association between visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid examination and high-risk human papillomavirus infection, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis in Papua New Guinea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallely, Andrew J; Toliman, Pamela J; Ryan, Claire; Rai, Glennis; Wapling, Johanna; Gabuzzi, Josephine; Kumbia, Antonia; Kombuk, Benny; Kombati, Zure; Vallely, Lisa M; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Wand, Handan; Tabrizi, Sepehr N; Mola, Glen D L; Kaldor, John M

    2018-01-30

    Papua New Guinea (PNG) has among the highest estimated burdens of cervical cancer globally but currently has no national cervical screening program. Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is a low-cost screening strategy endorsed by the World Health Organization that has been adopted in many low-resource settings but not previously evaluated in PNG. To evaluate the association between VIA examination findings and high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection; and the impact of concomitant genital Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis on the interpretation of VIA findings. A prospective clinical cohort study among women aged 30-59 years attending Well Woman Clinics in PNG. Main outcome measures were VIA examination findings and laboratory-confirmed hrHPV, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae and T. vaginalis. A total of 614 women were enrolled, of whom 87.5% (537/614) underwent VIA, and 12.5% (77/614) did not due to pre-existing cervicitis or inability to visualise the transformation zone. Among the 537 women who underwent VIA, 21.6% were VIA positive, 63.7% VIA negative, and 14.7% had indeterminate findings. The prevalence of hrHPV infection (n = 614) was 14.7%; C. trachomatis, 7.5%; N. gonorrhoeae, 8.0%; and T. vaginalis, 15.0%. VIA positive women were more likely to have HPV16 (odds ratio: 5.0; 95%CI: 1.6-15.6; P = 0.006) but there was no association between HPV18/45, all hrHPV types (combined), C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae or T. vaginalis. VIA positivity was associated with HPV16, but not with other hrHPV infections, nor with genital C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae or T. vaginalis in this setting. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  4. Evaluation of the new AmpliSens multiplex real-time PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Trichomonas vaginalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumyantseva, Tatiana; Golparian, Daniel; Nilsson, Christian S; Johansson, Emma; Falk, My; Fredlund, Hans; Van Dam, Alje; Guschin, Alexander; Unemo, Magnus

    2015-10-01

    In this study, we performed an evaluation of the new CE-marked multiplex real-time AmpliSens N.gonorrhoeae/C.trachomatis/M.genitalium/T.vaginalis-MULTIPRIME-FRT PCR assay compared to APTIMA tests, i.e., APTIMA COMBO 2 assay, APTIMA Trichomonas vaginalis assay (FDA-approved), and two different APTIMA Mycoplasma genitalium assays (research use only; one of them only used for discrepancy analysis). Vaginal swabs (n = 209) and first-void urine (FVU) specimens from females (n = 498) and males (n = 554), consecutive attendees (n = 1261) at a dermatovenerological clinic in Sweden, were examined. The sensitivity of the AmpliSens PCR assay for detection of C. trachomatis (6.3% prevalence), M. genitalium (5.7% prevalence), N. gonorrhoeae (0.3% prevalence), and T. vaginalis (0.08% prevalence) was 97.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 91.2-99.6%), 81.9% (95% CI: 70.7-89.7%), 100% (95% CI: 40.2-100%) and 100% (95% CI: 16.5-100%), respectively. The specificity of the AmpliSens PCR assay was 100% (95% CI: 99.6-100%) for all agents. The analytical sensitivity and specificity for N. gonorrhoeae detection was excellent, i.e., 55 international gonococcal strains detected and 135 isolates of 13 non-gonococcal Neisseria species were negative. In conclusion, the multiplex real-time AmpliSens N.gonorrhoeae/C.trachomatis/M.genitalium/T.vaginalis-MULTIPRIME-FRT PCR assay demonstrated high sensitivity and excellent specificity for the detection of C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis, and excellent specificity but suboptimal sensitivity for M. genitalium detection. © 2015 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Characterization of the dsDNA prophage sequences in the genome of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and visualization of productive bacteriophage

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    Maugel Timothy K

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bioinformatic analysis of the genome sequence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae revealed the presence of nine probable prophage islands. The distribution, conservation and function of many of these sequences, and their ability to produce bacteriophage particles are unknown. Results Our analysis of the genomic sequence of FA1090 identified five genomic regions (NgoΦ1 – 5 that are related to dsDNA lysogenic phage. The genetic content of the dsDNA prophage sequences were examined in detail and found to contain blocks of genes encoding for proteins homologous to proteins responsible for phage DNA replication, structural proteins and proteins responsible for phage assembly. The DNA sequences from NgoΦ1, NgoΦ2 and NgoΦ3 contain some significant regions of identity. A unique region of NgoΦ2 showed very high similarity with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa generalized transducing phage F116. Comparative analysis at the nucleotide and protein levels suggests that the sequences of NgoΦ1 and NgoΦ2 encode functionally active phages, while NgoΦ3, NgoΦ4 and NgoΦ5 encode incomplete genomes. Expression of the NgoΦ1 and NgoΦ2 repressors in Escherichia coli inhibit the growth of E. coli and the propagation of phage λ. The NgoΦ2 repressor was able to inhibit transcription of N. gonorrhoeae genes and Haemophilus influenzae HP1 phage promoters. The holin gene of NgoΦ1 (identical to that encoded by NgoΦ2, when expressed in E. coli, could serve as substitute for the phage λ s gene. We were able to detect the presence of the DNA derived from NgoΦ1 in the cultures of N. gonorrhoeae. Electron microscopy analysis of culture supernatants revealed the presence of multiple forms of bacteriophage particles. Conclusion These data suggest that the genes similar to dsDNA lysogenic phage present in the gonococcus are generally conserved in this pathogen and that they are able to regulate the expression of other neisserial genes. Since phage particles were

  6. Molecular characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Almaty, Kazakhstan, by VNTR analysis, Opa-typing and NG-MAST.

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    Kushnir, Anastasiya V; Muminov, Talgat A; Bayev, Assylzhan I; Khrapov, Evgeny A; Filipenko, Maxim L

    2012-04-01

    In the present study, new variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) loci in the Neisseria gonorrhoeae genome were identified in silico. VNTR analysis scheme using PCR and agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was developed based on nine VNTR loci with various degrees of polymorphism. The method was used to genotype a collection of 48 isolates, obtained from patients with gonorrhea in Almaty, Kazakhstan during the period from December 2008 to November 2009. This collection of isolates was also characterized by the opa-typing and multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). The discriminatory power of the VNTR analysis translated by Hunter-Gaston Discrimination Index (HGDI) was similar to that of opa typing (HGDI=0.98 versus 0.97) and slightly higher than that of NG-MAST (HDGI=0.95). The adjusted Rand (AR) coefficients and Wallace coefficients showed that the overall concordance between the typing methods was not high. VNTR analysis described here is simple, inexpensive, easy to interpret, and it would be reliable for the comparison of data obtained in different laboratories. The proposed VNTR loci might be used for epidemiological studies of gonococcal infections. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Auditing the use and assessing the clinical utility of microscopy as a point-of-care test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a Sexual Health clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mensforth, Sarah; Thorley, Nicola; Radcliffe, Keith

    2018-02-01

    We assessed whether urethral microscopy was performed as per clinic protocol for male clinic attendees reporting contact with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), urethral symptoms or given a diagnosis of epididymo-orchitis (EO) over a 12-month period (9732 patients). Prevalence of gonorrhoea in the contacts, urethral symptoms and EO groups was 50, 12.7 and 1.6%, respectively. Microscopy was performed reliably for contacts (96%), those with discharge/dysuria with evidence of urethritis on examination (98%), but not those with EO (43%). We explored the clinical utility of microscopy as a point-of-care test for identifying urethral GC in each subgroup, using the APTIMA Combo 2 CT/GC nucleic acid amplification test as the comparator (1710 patients). Sensitivity of microscopy for each subgroup was good; there was no statistical difference between subgroup sensitivity using Fisher's exact test. Microscopy is valuable to ensure prompt diagnosis and contact tracing. All GC contacts were treated 'epidemiologically'; however, half of GC contacts did not have GC. Microscopy identified the majority of GC cases, including amongst contacts (71% of heterosexual contacts, 66% of contacts reporting sex with men). We propose that epidemiological treatment for GC contacts should be reconsidered on the grounds of antibiotic stewardship, favouring use of microscopy to guide treatment decisions.

  8. A Systematic Review of Point of Care Testing for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis

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    Sasha Herbst de Cortina

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. Systematic review of point of care (POC diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted infections: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG, and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV. Methods. Literature search on PubMed for articles from January 2010 to August 2015, including original research in English on POC diagnostics for sexually transmitted CT, NG, and/or TV. Results. We identified 33 publications with original research on POC diagnostics for CT, NG, and/or TV. Thirteen articles evaluated test performance, yielding at least one test for each infection with sensitivity and specificity ≥90%. Each infection also had currently available tests with sensitivities <60%. Three articles analyzed cost effectiveness, and five publications discussed acceptability and feasibility. POC testing was acceptable to both providers and patients and was also demonstrated to be cost effective. Fourteen proof of concept articles introduced new tests. Conclusions. Highly sensitive and specific POC tests are available for CT, NG, and TV, but improvement is possible. Future research should focus on acceptability, feasibility, and cost of POC testing. While pregnant women specifically have not been studied, the results available in nonpregnant populations are encouraging for the ability to test and treat women in antenatal care to prevent adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

  9. Type I Interferon Induction by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Dual Requirement of Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase and Toll-like Receptor 4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, Warrison A; Agarwal, Sarika; Mo, Shunyan; Shaffer, Scott A; Dillard, Joseph P; Schmidt, Tobias; Hornung, Veit; Fitzgerald, Katherine A; Kurt-Jones, Evelyn A; Golenbock, Douglas T

    2016-06-14

    The innate immune system is the first line of defense against Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC). Exposure of cells to GC lipooligosaccharides induces a strong immune response, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production via TLR4/MD-2. In addition to living freely in the extracellular space, GC can invade the cytoplasm to evade detection and elimination. Double-stranded DNA introduced into the cytosol binds and activates the enzyme cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), which produces 2'3'-cGAMP and triggers STING/TBK-1/IRF3 activation, resulting in type I IFN expression. Here, we reveal a cytosolic response to GC DNA that also contributes to type I IFN induction. We demonstrate that complete IFN-β induction by live GC depends on both cGAS and TLR4. Type I IFN is detrimental to the host, and dysregulation of iron homeostasis genes may explain lower bacteria survival in cGAS(-/-) and TLR4(-/-) cells. Collectively, these observations reveal cooperation between TLRs and cGAS in immunity to GC infection. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Type I Interferon Induction by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Dual Requirement of Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase and Toll-like Receptor 4

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    Warrison A. Andrade

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The innate immune system is the first line of defense against Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC. Exposure of cells to GC lipooligosaccharides induces a strong immune response, leading to type I interferon (IFN production via TLR4/MD-2. In addition to living freely in the extracellular space, GC can invade the cytoplasm to evade detection and elimination. Double-stranded DNA introduced into the cytosol binds and activates the enzyme cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS, which produces 2′3′-cGAMP and triggers STING/TBK-1/IRF3 activation, resulting in type I IFN expression. Here, we reveal a cytosolic response to GC DNA that also contributes to type I IFN induction. We demonstrate that complete IFN-β induction by live GC depends on both cGAS and TLR4. Type I IFN is detrimental to the host, and dysregulation of iron homeostasis genes may explain lower bacteria survival in cGAS−/− and TLR4−/− cells. Collectively, these observations reveal cooperation between TLRs and cGAS in immunity to GC infection.

  11. Vigilancia de la resistencia de Neisseria gonorrhoeae en un hospital de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina: 1997-2004 Resistance surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a hospital in Santa Fe province, Argentina: 1997-2004

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    E. De Los A. Méndez

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Se determinaron los fenotipos de resistencia caracterizados por la concentración inhibitoria mínima, la difusión con discos y la producción de β-lactamasa de 434 aislamientos de Neisseria gonorrhoeae obtenidos de pacientes atendidos en el Servicio de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual del Hospital Dr. José María Cullen, Santa Fe, Argentina. Se realizaron pruebas de sensibilidad a los siguientes antimicrobianos: penicilina, tetraciclina, ciprofloxacina, espectinomicina, azitromicina y ceftriaxona. A tres aislamientos resistentes a ciprofloxacina se les realizó electroforesis de campo pulsado. Se destacaron tres situaciones epidemiológicas de interés: en el año 1997, alta incidencia de aislamientos con resistencia plasmídica a tetraciclina (33,3%; en el período 2002-2004, un aumento significativo de la resistencia plasmídica a penicilina (9,7% a 34,8%; y en el año 2000, la emergencia de dos de los tres primeros aislamientos con resistencia a quinolonas del país. El primer aislamiento resistente a azitromicina en nuestro hospital emerge en el 2004. Este trabajo jerarquiza el rol del Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica en la orientación del tratamiento empírico de la gonorrea.Resistance phenotypes characterized by minimum inhibitory concentration, disk diffusion and β-lactamase production were determined in 434 isolates from patients attending the Sexually Transmitted Disease Service at Dr. José María Cullen Hospital in Santa Fe, Argentina. Susceptibility tests to penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, espectinomycin, azithromycin and ceftriaxone were performed. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was conducted made to on three ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates. Epidemiologically speaking, three interesting events should be highlighted: during 1997, plasmid-mediated high level tetracycline-resistant strains were observed (33.3%; from 2002 to 2004 a significant increase of plasmid-mediated penicillin-resistant strains was

  12. Susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to azithromycin and ceftriaxone in China: A retrospective study of national surveillance data from 2013 to 2016.

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    Yue-Ping Yin

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Gonorrhea remains one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Successful treatment has been hampered by emerging resistance to each of the antibiotics recommended as first-line therapies. We retrospectively analyzed the susceptibility of gonorrhea to azithromycin and ceftriaxone using data from the China Gonococcal Resistance Surveillance Programme (China-GRSP in order to provide evidence for updating the treatment recommendations in China.In this study, we included 3,849 isolates collected from patients with a confirmed positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae culture at clinic visits during the period of 1 January 2013 through 31 December 2016 in 7 provinces. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of gonorrhea isolates using agar dilution was conducted to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC. Resistance to azithromycin (RTA was defined as MIC ≥ 1.0 mg/l, and decreased susceptibility to ceftriaxone (DSC was defined as MIC ≥ 0.125 mg/l. The prevalence of isolates with RTA was 18.6% (710/3,827; 95% CI 17.4%-19.8%. The percentage of patients with DSC fluctuated between 9.7% and 12.2% over this period. The overall prevalence of isolates with both RTA and DSC was 2.3% (87/3,827; 95% CI 1.9%-2.8% and it increased from 1.9% in 2013 to 3.3% in 2016 (chi-squared test for trend, P = 0.03. Study limitations include the retrospective study design and potential biases in the sample, which may overrepresent men with symptomatic infection, coastal residents, and people reporting as heterosexual.To our knowledge, this is the first national study on susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae to azithromycin and ceftriaxone in China. Our findings indicate high rates of RTA and DSC from 2013 to 2016. Although dual therapy with azithromycin and ceftriaxone has been recommended by WHO and many countries to treat gonorrhea, reevaluation of this therapy is needed prior to its introduction in China.

  13. The Transcriptional Repressor, MtrR, of the mtrCDE Efflux Pump Operon of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Can Also Serve as an Activator of “off Target” Gene (glnE Expression

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    Paul J. T. Johnson

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available MtrR is a well-characterized repressor of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae mtrCDE efflux pump operon. However, results from a previous transcriptional profiling study suggested that MtrR also represses or activates expression of at least sixty genes outside of the mtr locus. Evidence that MtrR can directly repress so-called “off target” genes has previously been reported; in particular, MtrR was shown to directly repress glnA, which encodes glutamine synthetase. In contrast, evidence for the ability of MtrR to directly activate expression of gonococcal genes has been lacking; herein, we provide such evidence. We now report that MtrR has the ability to directly activate expression of glnE, which encodes the dual functional adenyltransferase/deadenylase enzyme GlnE that modifies GlnA resulting in regulation of its role in glutamine biosynthesis. With its capacity to repress expression of glnA, the results presented herein emphasize the diverse and often opposing regulatory properties of MtrR that likely contributes to the overall physiology and metabolism of N. gonorrhoeae.

  14. Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection in men attending STD clinics in Brazil Prevalência de Neisseria gonorrhoeae e infecção pela Chlamydia trachomatis em homens atendidos em clínicas de DST no Brasil

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    Marcelo Joaquim Barbosa

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections and identify demographic, behavioral and clinical factors correlated withsuch infections in men attending six sexually transmitted disease clinics in Brazil. METHODS: Multicentric, cross-sectional study performed among men attending STD clinics in Brazil. The study included STD clinics in six cities distributed throughout the five geographic regions of Brazil in 2005. Patients provided 20 ml of first catch urine for testing for NG and CT by DNA-PCR. RESULTS: A total of 767 (92.9% men were included in the study. The mean age was 26.5 (SD 8.3 years-old. Prevalence of Chlamydia infection was 13.1% (95%CI 10.7%-15.5% and gonorrhea was 18.4% (95%CI 15.7%-21.1%. Coinfection prevalence was 4.4% (95%CI 2.95%-5.85% in men who sought attendance in STI clinics. Factors identified as associated with C. trachomatis were younger age (15-24 [OR=1.4 (95%CI 1.01-1.91], present urethral discharge [OR=4.8 (95%CI 1.52-15.05], genital warts [OR=3.0 (95%CI 1.49-5.92] and previous history of urethral discharge [OR=2.4 (95%CI 1.11-5.18]. Variables associated with gonorrhea were younger age (15 to 24 [OR=1.5 (95%CI 1.09-2.05], presence of urethral discharge [OR=9.9 (95%CI 5.53-17.79], genital warts [OR=18.3 (95%CI 8.03-41.60] and ulcer present upon clinical examination [OR=4.9 (95%CI 1.06-22.73]. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important implications for education and prevention actions directed toward men at risk of HIV/STD. A venue-based approach to offer routine screening for young men in STD clinics should be stimulated.INTRODUÇÃO: Nosso objetivo foi acessar a prevalência de Neisseria gonorrhoeae e Chlamydia trachomatis e identificar fatores demográficos, comportamentais e clínicos correlacionados a essas infecções em homens atendidos em clínicas de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo multicêntrico, transversal

  15. Time-Motion Analysis of Four Automated Systems for the Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing.

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    Williams, James A; Eddleman, Laura; Pantone, Amy; Martinez, Regina; Young, Stephen; Van Der Pol, Barbara

    2014-08-01

    Next-generation diagnostics for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are available on semi- or fully-automated platforms. These systems require less hands-on time than older platforms and are user friendly. Four automated systems, the ABBOTT m2000 system, Becton Dickinson Viper System with XTR Technology, Gen-Probe Tigris DTS system, and Roche cobas 4800 system, were evaluated for total run time, hands-on time, and walk-away time. All of the systems evaluated in this time-motion study were able to complete a diagnostic test run within an 8-h work shift, instrument setup and operation were straightforward and uncomplicated, and walk-away time ranged from approximately 90 to 270 min in a head-to-head comparison of each system. All of the automated systems provide technical staff with increased time to perform other tasks during the run, offer easy expansion of the diagnostic test menu, and have the ability to increase specimen throughput. © 2013 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  16. Selective testing of women based on age for genital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in a centralized regional microbiology laboratory.

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    Church, Deirdre L; Amante, L; Semeniuk, H; Gregson, D B

    2007-04-01

    Calgary Laboratory Services, Alberta, Canada, provides microbiology services via a centralized laboratory to the Calgary Health Region. A selective genital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT)/Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) testing policy for women >35 years was implemented. The changes in physician ordering practice, the rate of detection of infections, and the test turnaround times were monitored. The volume of tests, the cost/test, and the total service costs accrued in the year before and after this policy change were compared. An immediate impact was a 30% decrease in tests performed due to the laboratory rejecting samples from older women. Subsequently, physicians' practice changed so that tests were ordered when test criteria were met. Detection rates did not change in any age group. A 27.9% decrease in the total service costs resulted in a labor reduction of 0.2 FTE. Selective testing of women >35 years with a low prevalence of CT/GC infection is clinically relevant and cost-effective.

  17. Restriction endonucleases from invasive Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause double-strand breaks and distort mitosis in epithelial cells during infection.

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    Linda Weyler

    Full Text Available The host epithelium is both a barrier against, and the target for microbial infections. Maintaining regulated cell growth ensures an intact protective layer towards microbial-induced cellular damage. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections disrupt host cell cycle regulation machinery and the infection causes DNA double strand breaks that delay progression through the G2/M phase. We show that intracellular gonococci upregulate and release restriction endonucleases that enter the nucleus and damage human chromosomal DNA. Bacterial lysates containing restriction endonucleases were able to fragment genomic DNA as detected by PFGE. Lysates were also microinjected into the cytoplasm of cells in interphase and after 20 h, DNA double strand breaks were identified by 53BP1 staining. In addition, by using live-cell microscopy and NHS-ester stained live gonococci we visualized the subcellular location of the bacteria upon mitosis. Infected cells show dysregulation of the spindle assembly checkpoint proteins MAD1 and MAD2, impaired and prolonged M-phase, nuclear swelling, micronuclei formation and chromosomal instability. These data highlight basic molecular functions of how gonococcal infections affect host cell cycle regulation, cause DNA double strand breaks and predispose cellular malignancies.

  18. Restriction endonucleases from invasive Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause double-strand breaks and distort mitosis in epithelial cells during infection.

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    Weyler, Linda; Engelbrecht, Mattias; Mata Forsberg, Manuel; Brehwens, Karl; Vare, Daniel; Vielfort, Katarina; Wojcik, Andrzej; Aro, Helena

    2014-01-01

    The host epithelium is both a barrier against, and the target for microbial infections. Maintaining regulated cell growth ensures an intact protective layer towards microbial-induced cellular damage. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections disrupt host cell cycle regulation machinery and the infection causes DNA double strand breaks that delay progression through the G2/M phase. We show that intracellular gonococci upregulate and release restriction endonucleases that enter the nucleus and damage human chromosomal DNA. Bacterial lysates containing restriction endonucleases were able to fragment genomic DNA as detected by PFGE. Lysates were also microinjected into the cytoplasm of cells in interphase and after 20 h, DNA double strand breaks were identified by 53BP1 staining. In addition, by using live-cell microscopy and NHS-ester stained live gonococci we visualized the subcellular location of the bacteria upon mitosis. Infected cells show dysregulation of the spindle assembly checkpoint proteins MAD1 and MAD2, impaired and prolonged M-phase, nuclear swelling, micronuclei formation and chromosomal instability. These data highlight basic molecular functions of how gonococcal infections affect host cell cycle regulation, cause DNA double strand breaks and predispose cellular malignancies.

  19. Type III methyltransferase M.NgoAX from Neisseria gonorrhoeae FA1090 regulates biofilm formation and human cell invasion

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    Agnieszka eKwiatek

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the etiological factor of the sexually transmitted gonorrhea disease that may lead, under specific conditions, to systemic infections. The gonococcal genome encodes many Restriction Modification (RM systems, which main biological role is to defend the pathogen from potentially harmful foreign DNA. However, RM systems seem also to be involved in several other functions. In this study, we examined the effect of inactivation the N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 ngo0545 gene encoding M.NgoAX methyltransferase on the global gene expression, biofilm formation, interactions with human epithelial host cells and overall bacterial growth. Expression microarrays showed at least a two-fold deregulation of a total of 121 genes in the NgoAX knock-out mutant compared to the wt strain under standard grow conditions. As determined by the assay with crystal violet, the NgoAX knock-out strain formed a slightly larger biofilm biomass per cell than the wt strain (OD570/600 = 13.8  2.24 and 9.35  2.06, respectively. SCLM observations showed that the biofilm formed by the gonococcal ngo0545 gene mutant is more relaxed and dispersed than the one formed by the wt strain. Thickness of the biofilm formed by both strains was 48.3 (14.9 µm for the mutant and 28.6 (4.0 µm for the wt. This more relaxed feature of the biofilm in respect to adhesion and bacterial interactions seems advantageous for pathogenesis of the NgoAX-deficient gonococci at the stage of human epithelial cell invasion. Indeed, the overall adhesion of mutant bacterial cells to human cells was lower than adhesion of the wt gonococci (adhesion index = 0.672 ( 0.2 and 2.15 ( 1.53, respectively; yet, a higher number of mutant than wt bacteria were found inside the Hec-1-B epithelial cells (invasion index = 3.38 ( 0.93  105 for mutant and 4.67 ( 3.09  104 for the wt strain. These results indicate that NgoAX-deficient cells have lower ability to attach to human cells

  20. Where does Neisseria acquire foreign DNA from: an examination of the source of genomic and pathogenic islands and the evolution of the Neisseria genus.

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    Putonti, Catherine; Nowicki, Bogdan; Shaffer, Michael; Fofanov, Yuriy; Nowicki, Stella

    2013-09-04

    Pathogenicity islands (PAIs) or genomic islands (GEIs) are considered to be the result of a recent horizontal transfer. Detecting PAIs/GEIs as well as their putative source can provide insight into the organism's pathogenicity within its host. Previously we introduced a tool called S-plot which provides a visual representation of the variation in compositional properties across and between genomic sequences. Utilizing S-plot and new functionality developed here, we examined 18 publicly available Neisseria genomes, including strains of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic species, in order to identify regions of unusual compositional properties (RUCPs) using both a sliding window as well as a gene-by-gene approach. Numerous GEIs and PAIs were identified including virulence genes previously found within the pathogenic Neisseria species. While some genes were conserved amongst all species, only pathogenic species, or an individual species, a number of genes were detected that are unique to an individual strain. While the majority of such genes have an origin unknown, a number of putative sources including pathogenic and capsule-containing bacteria were determined, indicative of gene exchange between Neisseria spp. and other bacteria within their microhabitat. Furthermore, we uncovered evidence that both N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae have separately acquired DNA from their human host. Data suggests that all three Neisseria species have received horizontally transferred elements post-speciation. Using this approach, we were able to not only find previously identified regions of virulence but also new regions which may be contributing to the virulence of the species. This comparative analysis provides a means for tracing the evolutionary history of the acquisition of foreign DNA within this genus. Looking specifically at the RUCPs present within the 18 genomes considered, a stronger similarity between N. meningitidis and N. lactamica is observed, suggesting that N

  1. The prevalences of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections among female sex workers in China

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    Chen Xiang-Sheng

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs have become a major public health problem among female sex workers (FSWs in China. There have been many studies on prevalences of HIV and syphilis but the data about Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT infections are limited in this population in China. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed among FSWs recruited from different types of venues in 8 cities in China. An interview with questionnaire was conducted, followed by collection of a blood and cervical swab specimens for tests of HIV, syphilis, NG and CT infections. Results A total of 3,099 FSWs were included in the study. The overall prevalence rates of HIV, syphilis, NG and CT were 0.26%, 6.45%, 5.91% and 17.30%, respectively. Being a FSW from low-tier venue (adjusted odds ratios [AOR]=1.39 had higher risk and being age of ≥ 21 years (AOR=0.60 for 21–25 years; AOR=0.29 for 26–30 years; AOR=0.35 for 31 years or above had lower risk for CT infection; and having CT infection was significantly associated with NG infection. Conclusions The high STI prevalence rates found among FSWs, especially among FSWs in low-tier sex work venues, suggest that the comprehensive prevention and control programs including not only behavioral interventions but also screening and medical care are needed to meet the needs of this population.

  2. In Vitro Activity of the New Fluoroketolide Solithromycin (CEM-101) against a Large Collection of Clinical Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates and International Reference Strains, Including Those with High-Level Antimicrobial Resistance: Potential Treatment Option for Gonorrhea?

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    Golparian, Daniel; Fernandes, Prabhavathi; Ohnishi, Makoto; Jensen, Jörgen S.

    2012-01-01

    Gonorrhea may become untreatable, and new treatment options are essential. We investigated the in vitro activity of the first fluoroketolide, solithromycin. Clinical Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates and reference strains (n = 246), including the two extensively drug-resistant strains H041 and F89 and additional isolates with clinical cephalosporin resistance and multidrug resistance, were examined. The activity of solithromycin was mainly superior to that of other antimicrobials (n = 10) currently or previously recommended for gonorrhea treatment. Solithromycin might be an effective treatment option for gonorrhea. PMID:22354296

  3. Cervical Infection with Herpes simplex Virus, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among Symptomatic Women, Dubai, UAE: A Molecular Approach

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    Davood Mehrabani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Tragically, genital tract infections are still a major public health problem in many regions. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of cervical infection with Herpes simplex virus (HSV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG among married women referring to Iranian Hospital, Dubai, UAE. In a retrospective cross-sectional survey, 201 female patients aged 16–80 years who referred to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Iranian Hospital, Dubai, UAE, in 2010 were enrolled. The patients were categorized into three age groups: 15–30 (group I, 31–40 (group II, and ≥41 years old (group III. A cervical swab sample was collected from each woman and the prevalence of cervical infection with HSV, CT, and NG was determined by PCR method. HSV, CT, and NG were detected in 6.5%, 10.4%, and 5.5% of swab samples, respectively. Regarding age, a significant difference was noticed for prevalence of NG and HSV between groups I and III. Because of public health importance of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs, their long-lasting impact on quality of life, and their economic burden, preventing measures and education of women seem necessary.

  4. Extragenital Infections Caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae: A Review of the Literature

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    Philip A. Chan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In the United States, sexually transmitted diseases due to Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae continue to be a major public health burden. Screening of extragenital sites including the oropharynx and rectum is an emerging practice based on recent studies highlighting the prevalence of infection at these sites. We reviewed studies reporting the prevalence of extragenital infections in women, men who have sex with men (MSM, and men who have sex only with women (MSW, including distribution by anatomical site. Among women, prevalence was found to be 0.6–35.8% for rectal gonorrhea (median reported prevalence 1.9%, 0–29.6% for pharyngeal gonorrhea (median 2.1%, 2.0–77.3% for rectal chlamydia (median 8.7%, and 0.2–3.2% for pharyngeal chlamydia (median 1.7%. Among MSM, prevalence was found to be 0.2–24.0% for rectal gonorrhea (median 5.9%, 0.5–16.5% for pharyngeal gonorrhea (median 4.6%, 2.1–23.0% for rectal chlamydia (median 8.9%, and 0–3.6% for pharyngeal chlamydia (median 1.7%. Among MSW, the prevalence was found to be 0–5.7% for rectal gonorrhea (median 3.4%, 0.4–15.5% for pharyngeal gonorrhea (median 2.2%, 0–11.8% for rectal chlamydia (median 7.7%, and 0–22.0% for pharyngeal chlamydia (median 1.6%. Extragenital infections are often asymptomatic and found in the absence of reported risk behaviors, such as receptive anal and oral intercourse. We discuss current clinical recommendations and future directions for research.

  5. Comparing the disk-diffusion and agar dilution tests for Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility testing

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    Hsi Liu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We assessed the validity of testing for antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical and mutant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC isolates by disk diffusion in comparison to agar dilution, and Etest® (bioMerieux, France, respectively, for three third generation extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESC: ceftriaxone (CRO, cefixime (CFX, and cefpodoxime (CPD. Methods One hundred and five clinical isolates and ten laboratory-mutants were tested following Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI and manufacturer’s standards for each of the three methods. The measured diameters by the disk diffusion method were tested for correlation with the MIC values by agar dilution. In addition, comparisons with the Etest® were made. Categorical results for concordance, based on standard CLSI cutoffs, between the disk diffusion and the other two methods, respectively, were tested using the Chi-square statistics. Reproducibility was tested for CFX across a 6-month interval by repeated disk tests. Results Across all 115 specimens, the disk diffusion tests produced good categorical agreements, exhibiting concordance of 93.1%, 92.1%, and 90.4% with agar dilution and 93.0%, 92.1%, and 90.4% with Etest®, for CRO, CFX, and CPD, respectively. Pearson correlations between disk-diffusion diameters and agar dilution MIC’s were -0.59, -0.67, and -0.81 for CRO, CFX, and CPD, respectively. The correlations between disk diffusion and Etest® were -0.58, -0.73, and -0.49. Pearson correlation between the CFX disk readings over a 6-month interval was 91%. Conclusions Disk diffusion tests remain to be a useful, reliable and fast screening method for qualitative antimicrobial susceptibility testing for ceftriaxone, cefixime, and cefpodoxime.

  6. Large Cluster of Neisseria meningitidis Urethritis in Columbus, Ohio, 2015.

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    Bazan, Jose A; Turner, Abigail Norris; Kirkcaldy, Robert D; Retchless, Adam C; Kretz, Cecilia B; Briere, Elizabeth; Tzeng, Yih-Ling; Stephens, David S; Maierhofer, Courtney; Del Rio, Carlos; Abrams, A Jeanine; Trees, David L; Ervin, Melissa; Licon, Denisse B; Fields, Karen S; Roberts, Mysheika Williams; Dennison, Amanda; Wang, Xin

    2017-07-01

    Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a Gram-negative diplococcus that normally colonizes the nasopharynx and rarely infects the urogenital tract. On Gram stain of urethral exudates, Nm can be misidentified as the more common sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In response to a large increase in cases of Nm urethritis identified among men presenting for screening at a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Columbus, Ohio, we investigated the epidemiologic characteristics of men with Nm urethritis and the molecular and phylogenetic characteristics of their Nm isolates. The study was conducted between 1 January and 18 November 2015. Seventy-five Nm urethritis cases were confirmed by biochemical and polymerase chain reaction testing. Men with Nm urethritis were a median age of 31 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 24-38) and had a median of 2 sex partners in the last 3 months (IQR = 1-3). Nm cases were predominantly black (81%) and heterosexual (99%). Most had urethral discharge (91%), reported oral sex with a female in the last 12 months (96%), and were treated with a ceftriaxone-based regimen (95%). A minority (15%) also had urethral chlamydia coinfection. All urethral Nm isolates were nongroupable, ST-11 clonal complex (cc11), ET-15, and clustered together phylogenetically. Urethral Nm isolates were similar by fine typing (PorA P1.5-1,10-8, PorB 2-2, FetA F3-6), except 2, which had different PorB types (2-78 and 2-52). Between January and November 2015, 75 urethritis cases due to a distinct Nm clade occurred among primarily black, heterosexual men in Columbus, Ohio. Future urogenital Nm infection studies should focus on pathogenesis and modes of sexual transmission. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Neisseria gonorrhoeae molecular typing for understanding sexual networks and antimicrobial resistance transmission: A systematic review.

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    Town, Katy; Bolt, Hikaru; Croxford, Sara; Cole, Michelle; Harris, Simon; Field, Nigel; Hughes, Gwenda

    2018-06-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is a significant global public health concern due to rising diagnoses rates and antimicrobial resistance. Molecular combined with epidemiological data have been used to understand the distribution and spread of NG, as well as relationships between cases in sexual networks, but the public health value gained from these studies is unclear. We conducted a systematic review to examine how molecular epidemiological studies have informed understanding of sexual networks and NG transmission, and subsequent public health interventions. Five research databases were systematically searched up to 31st March 2017 for studies that used sequence-based DNA typing methods, including whole genome sequencing, and linked molecular data to patient-level epidemiological data. Data were extracted and summarised to identify common themes. Of the 49 studies included, 82% used NG Multi-antigen Sequence Typing. Gender and sexual orientation were commonly used to characterise sexual networks that were inferred using molecular clusters; clusters predominantly of one patient group often contained a small number of isolates from other patient groups. Suggested public health applications included using these data to target interventions at specific populations, confirm outbreaks, and inform partner management, but these were mainly untested. Combining molecular and epidemiological data has provided insight into sexual mixing patterns, and dissemination of NG, but few studies have applied these findings to design or evaluate public health interventions. Future studies should focus on the application of molecular epidemiology in public health practice to provide evidence for how to prevent and control NG. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Phasevarions mediate random switching of gene expression in pathogenic Neisseria.

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    Yogitha N Srikhanta

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Many host-adapted bacterial pathogens contain DNA methyltransferases (mod genes that are subject to phase-variable expression (high-frequency reversible ON/OFF switching of gene expression. In Haemophilus influenzae, the random switching of the modA gene controls expression of a phase-variable regulon of genes (a "phasevarion", via differential methylation of the genome in the modA ON and OFF states. Phase-variable mod genes are also present in Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, suggesting that phasevarions may occur in these important human pathogens. Phylogenetic studies on phase-variable mod genes associated with type III restriction modification (R-M systems revealed that these organisms have two distinct mod genes--modA and modB. There are also distinct alleles of modA (abundant: modA11, 12, 13; minor: modA4, 15, 18 and modB (modB1, 2. These alleles differ only in their DNA recognition domain. ModA11 was only found in N. meningitidis and modA13 only in N. gonorrhoeae. The recognition site for the modA13 methyltransferase in N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 was identified as 5'-AGAAA-3'. Mutant strains lacking the modA11, 12 or 13 genes were made in N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae and their phenotype analyzed in comparison to a corresponding mod ON wild-type strain. Microarray analysis revealed that in all three modA alleles multiple genes were either upregulated or downregulated, some of which were virulence-associated. For example, in N. meningitidis MC58 (modA11, differentially expressed genes included those encoding the candidate vaccine antigens lactoferrin binding proteins A and B. Functional studies using N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 and the clinical isolate O1G1370 confirmed that modA13 ON and OFF strains have distinct phenotypes in antimicrobial resistance, in a primary human cervical epithelial cell model of infection, and in biofilm formation. This study, in conjunction with our previous work in H. influenzae, indicates

  9. Phasevarions mediate random switching of gene expression in pathogenic Neisseria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srikhanta, Yogitha N; Dowideit, Stefanie J; Edwards, Jennifer L; Falsetta, Megan L; Wu, Hsing-Ju; Harrison, Odile B; Fox, Kate L; Seib, Kate L; Maguire, Tina L; Wang, Andrew H-J; Maiden, Martin C; Grimmond, Sean M; Apicella, Michael A; Jennings, Michael P

    2009-04-01

    Many host-adapted bacterial pathogens contain DNA methyltransferases (mod genes) that are subject to phase-variable expression (high-frequency reversible ON/OFF switching of gene expression). In Haemophilus influenzae, the random switching of the modA gene controls expression of a phase-variable regulon of genes (a "phasevarion"), via differential methylation of the genome in the modA ON and OFF states. Phase-variable mod genes are also present in Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, suggesting that phasevarions may occur in these important human pathogens. Phylogenetic studies on phase-variable mod genes associated with type III restriction modification (R-M) systems revealed that these organisms have two distinct mod genes--modA and modB. There are also distinct alleles of modA (abundant: modA11, 12, 13; minor: modA4, 15, 18) and modB (modB1, 2). These alleles differ only in their DNA recognition domain. ModA11 was only found in N. meningitidis and modA13 only in N. gonorrhoeae. The recognition site for the modA13 methyltransferase in N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 was identified as 5'-AGAAA-3'. Mutant strains lacking the modA11, 12 or 13 genes were made in N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae and their phenotype analyzed in comparison to a corresponding mod ON wild-type strain. Microarray analysis revealed that in all three modA alleles multiple genes were either upregulated or downregulated, some of which were virulence-associated. For example, in N. meningitidis MC58 (modA11), differentially expressed genes included those encoding the candidate vaccine antigens lactoferrin binding proteins A and B. Functional studies using N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 and the clinical isolate O1G1370 confirmed that modA13 ON and OFF strains have distinct phenotypes in antimicrobial resistance, in a primary human cervical epithelial cell model of infection, and in biofilm formation. This study, in conjunction with our previous work in H. influenzae, indicates that

  10. The Thioredoxin Domain of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae PilB can use Electrons from DsbD to Reduce Downstream Methionine Sulfoxide Reductases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brot,N.; Collet, J.; Johnson, L.; Jonsson, T.; Weissbach, H.; Lowther, W.

    2006-01-01

    The PilB protein from Neisseria gonorrhoeae is located in the periplasm and made up of three domains. The N-terminal, thioredoxin-like domain (NT domain) is fused to tandem methionine sulfoxide reductase A and B domains (MsrA/B). We show that the {alpha} domain of Escherichia coli DsbD is able to reduce the oxidized NT domain, which suggests that DsbD in Neisseria can transfer electrons from the cytoplasmic thioredoxin to the periplasm for the reduction of the MsrA/B domains. An analysis of the available complete genomes provides further evidence for this proposition in other bacteria where DsbD/CcdA, Trx, MsrA, and MsrB gene homologs are all located in a gene cluster with a common transcriptional direction. An examination of wild-type PilB and a panel of Cys to Ser mutants of the full-length protein and the individually expressed domains have also shown that the NT domain more efficiently reduces the MsrA/B domains when in the polyprotein context. Within this framework there does not appear to be a preference for the NT domain to reduce the proximal MsrA domain over MsrB domain. Finally, we report the 1.6 {angstrom} crystal structure of the NT domain. This structure confirms the presence of a surface loop that makes it different from other membrane-tethered, Trx-like molecules including TlpA, CcmG and ResA. Subtle differences are observed in this loop when compared to the N. meningitidis NT domain structure. The data taken together supports the formation of specific NT domain interactions with the MsrA/B domains and its in vivo recycling partner, DsbD.

  11. Detection of mutations in mtrR gene in quinolone resistant strains of N.gonorrhoeae isolated from India

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    S V Kulkarni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Emergence of multi-drug resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae resulting from new genetic mutation is a serious threat in controlling gonorrhea. This study was undertaken to identify and characterise mutations in the mtrR genes in N.gonorrhoeae isolates resistant to six different antibiotics in the quinolone group. Materials and Methods: The Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC of five quinolones for 64 N.gonorrhoeae isolates isolated during Jan 2007-Jun 2009 were determined by E-test method. Mutations in MtrR loci were examined by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA sequencing. Results: The proportion of N.gonorrhoeae strains resistant to anti-microbials was 98.4% for norfloxacin and ofloxacin, 96.8% for enoxacin and ciprofloxacin, 95.3% for lomefloxacin. Thirty-one (48.4% strains showed mutation (single/multiple in mtrR gene. Ten different mutations were observed and Gly-45 → Asp, Tyr-105 → His being the most common observed mutation. Conclusion: This is the first report from India on quinolone resistance mutations in MtrRCDE efflux system in N.gonorrhoeae. In conclusion, the high level of resistance to quinolone and single or multiple mutations in mtrR gene could limit the drug choices for gonorrhoea.

  12. Neisseria meningitidis ST11 Complex Isolates Associated with Nongonococcal Urethritis, Indiana, USA, 2015-2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toh, Evelyn; Gangaiah, Dharanesh; Batteiger, Byron E; Williams, James A; Arno, Janet N; Tai, Albert; Batteiger, Teresa A; Nelson, David E

    2017-02-01

    At a clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, we observed an increase in Neisseria gonorrhoeae-negative men with suspected gonococcal urethritis who had urethral cultures positive for N. meningitidis. We describe genomes of 2 of these N. meningitidis sequence type 11 complex urethritis isolates. Clinical evidence suggests these isolates may represent an emerging urethrotropic clade.

  13. Antimicrobial susceptibilities and molecular typing of neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates at a medical centre in Taiwan, 2001-2013 with an emphasis on high rate of azithromycin resistance among the isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yen-Hung; Huang, Yu-Tsung; Liao, Chun-Hsing; Hsueh, Po-Ren

    2018-05-01

    A high prevalence of gonococcal resistance to various antimicrobials and Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates exhibiting resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins have been reported in the past few decades. A total of 226 N. gonorrhoeae isolates obtained from the National Taiwan University Hospital from 2001 to 2013 were evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the isolates to antimicrobials were determined by the agar dilution method and interpreted using the 2017 clinical breakpoints or epidemiological cut-off values recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). The genetic relatedness of these isolates was determined by multilocus sequence typing. None of the isolates was resistant to ceftriaxone and cefotaxime, and the resistance rates to cefixime, spectinomycin, cefpodoxime, ciprofloxacin, and penicillin were 0.4%, 0.4%, 13.3%, 91.6%, and 87.6%, respectively. The rate of isolates resistant to azithromycin was 14.6% (EUCAST criteria), which is higher than in previous surveillance studies. A total of 57 sequence types (ST) were identified, and ST1901, ST7365, and ST1927 prevailed. Isolates of ST8143 emerged after 2011. ST1901 isolates had relatively higher MIC values for ceftriaxone and azithromycin than those of the other STs. In conclusion, ceftriaxone remains an effective drug of choice for gonorrhoeal management in Taiwan. High rates of azithromycin resistance among N. gonorrhoeae isolates were found. The circulating ST1901 strains with high MIC values for ceftriaxone and azithromycin and the emerging ST8143 strains were alarming. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  14. Remarkable increase of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with decreased susceptibility of azithromycin and increase in the failure of azithromycin therapy in male gonococcal urethritis in Sendai in 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Mitsuru; Ito, Shin; Hatazaki, Kyoko; Deguchi, Takashi

    2016-12-01

    The antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a serious problem worldwide. In this study, we examined the susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae isolated from male gonococcal urethritis in Sendai in 2014 and 2015. Furthermore, of all cases, we investigated the clinical efficacy of a single 2-g dose of extended-release azithromycin (AZM-SR) in the treatment of male gonococcal urethritis retrospectively. Sixty N. gonorrhoeae strains in 2014 and 54 strains in 2015 were isolated from male gonococcal urethritis and stored each year. The MIC of AZM was ≥1 mg/L in 4 strains (6.7%) in 2014 and in 13 strains (24.1%) in 2015 and the number of strains having ≥1 mg/L MIC increased significantly (P = 0.016). Microbiological efficacy was evaluated in 32 and 29 of these patients, and the rates of treatment success were 93.8% and 79.3%, respectively. All of the treatment failures were caused by strains having a MIC of AZM of ≥0.5 mg/L. In particular, the increase in the isolates having a MIC of AZM of ≥1 mg/L was remarkable. Therefore, it was thought that the increase in these strains was the reason for the increase in treatment failures in 2015. Because no other drug is effective, it is currently necessary to use AZM-SR to treat gonococcal infections caused by ceftriaxone-resistant strains or patients allergic to ceftriaxone. To prevent a further increase in resistance to AZM, we should not use AZM-SR to treat normal cases of gonococcal infection. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae using the cobas 4800 PCR system do not require a second test to confirm: an audit of patients issued with equivocal results at a sexual health clinic in the Northwest of England, U.K.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Mark J; Smith, Godfrey; Hart, Ian J; Alloba, Fath

    2012-11-01

    To assess the clinical utility of supplementary PCRs following a positive cobas 4800 CT/NG PCR screening test result. Laboratory reports, for Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae, issued to genitourinary medicine patients between April 2010 and April 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Positive reports were routinely confirmed by supplementary PCRs and N gonorrhoeae culture. Clinical records of patients with unconfirmed positive (equivocal) reports were retrieved to determine if the infection was confirmed by a second sample obtained at patient recall and the impact of this process on antibiotic management. Over 15 000 patients were tested during the study period. The prevalence of chlamydia and gonorrhoea was 972 (5.75%) and 76 (0.50%), respectively. A further 78 chlamydia and 2 gonorrhoea equivocal reports were issued. Only 56 (72%) patients with an equivocal chlamydia report returned to the clinic, and of these, only 41 (73%) gave a second sample to retest. Positive predictive value (PPV) of the PCR screening test was calculated at 98.0% and 97.5% for detection of chlamydia infection from urine and rectal swabs, respectively. Most patients accepted antibiotic treatment before their infection status had been confirmed. Prevalence of gonorrhoea infection was low but the PPV of the screening PCR in urine specimens remained high (98.75%). Equivocal reports introduce delays to patient management, while the risk of unnecessary antibiotic therapy appears acceptable to most patients. The cobas 4800 CT/NG PCR screening assay can achieve UK testing standards (PPV >90%) for chlamydia, and low prevalence gonorrhoea in urine without supplementary tests. A patient-led confirmation algorithm is proposed.

  16. Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis screening and treatment of pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bristow, Claire C; Mathelier, Patricia; Ocheretina, Oksana; Benoit, Daphne; Pape, Jean W; Wynn, Adriane; Klausner, Jeffrey D

    2017-10-01

    In Haiti, routine screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) among pregnant women is not conducted; yet these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are associated with adverse birth and newborn health outcomes. We aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of screening and the prevalence of STIs among pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Pregnant women of at least 18 years of age who attend Haitian Study Group for Kaposi's sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO) clinics in Port-au-Prince, Haiti provided self-collected vaginal swab specimens. Laboratory testing was done with Xpert® CT/NG and Xpert® TV. The results of this study showed that of the 322 pregnant women who visited GHESKIO for their regular scheduled appointments, 300 (93.2%) consented for CT, NG, and TV testing. Of those, 107 women (35.7%) tested positive for at least one STI. There were 42 (14.7%) cases of CT, 8 (2.8%) NG, and 83 (29.0%) TV infections. Most infections were treated - 122 of 133 (91.7%). In summary, we found that it was highly acceptable and feasible to implement CT, NG, and TV screening among pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We found high prevalence of STIs among pregnant women, which suggest that STI screening in this population may be warranted.

  17. Should urologists care for the pharyngeal infection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis when we treat male urethritis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamasuna, Ryoichi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Uehara, Shinya; Matsumoto, Tetsuro

    2012-06-01

    Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) or Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) from the pharynx of women or men is not uncommon. However, there is no recommendation how urologists should care for the pharyngeal infection of men with urethritis in Japan. The aim of this study is to clarify the prevalence of NG or CT infection in the pharynx of men and to show a recommendation for urologists. The Japanese reports about the detection of NG or CT from the pharynx or the oral cavity of men in Japan are reviewed in the literature from 1990 to 2011. The prevalence of NG or CT in the pharynx was 4% or 6% in men who attended clinics, and 20% or 6% in men who were positive for NG or CT from genital specimens, respectively. Single 1-g dose ceftriaxone was recommended to treat pharyngeal NG, but no evidence was found for pharyngeal CT. There was not enough evidence for recommendation. However, when men with urethritis only caused by NG or CT are treated through the guideline of the Japanese Society of Sexually Transmitted Infection, we do not think additional tests or treatment for the pharynx are needed when a single 1-g dose ceftriaxone for gonococcal urethritis or a single 1- or 2- g dose azithromycin is prescribed for chlamydial urethritis in Japan.

  18. AtlA functions as a peptidoglycan lytic transglycosylase in the Neisseria gonorrhoeae type IV secretion system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Petra L; Hamilton, Holly L; Cloud-Hansen, Karen; Dillard, Joseph P

    2007-08-01

    Type IV secretion systems require peptidoglycan lytic transglycosylases for efficient secretion, but the function of these enzymes is not clear. The type IV secretion system gene cluster of Neisseria gonorrhoeae encodes two peptidoglycan transglycosylase homologues. One, LtgX, is similar to peptidoglycan transglycosylases from other type IV secretion systems. The other, AtlA, is similar to endolysins from bacteriophages and is not similar to any described type IV secretion component. We characterized the enzymatic function of AtlA in order to examine its role in the type IV secretion system. Purified AtlA was found to degrade macromolecular peptidoglycan and to produce 1,6-anhydro peptidoglycan monomers, characteristic of lytic transglycosylase activity. We found that AtlA can functionally replace the lambda endolysin to lyse Escherichia coli. In contrast, a sensitive measure of lysis demonstrated that AtlA does not lyse gonococci expressing it or gonococci cocultured with an AtlA-expressing strain. The gonococcal type IV secretion system secretes DNA during growth. A deletion of ltgX or a substitution in the putative active site of AtlA severely decreased DNA secretion. These results indicate that AtlA and LtgX are actively involved in type IV secretion and that AtlA is not involved in lysis of gonococci to release DNA. This is the first demonstration that a type IV secretion peptidoglycanase has lytic transglycosylase activity. These data show that AtlA plays a role in type IV secretion of DNA that requires peptidoglycan breakdown without cell lysis.

  19. The Composition and Metabolic Phenotype of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Biofilms

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    Michael A Apicella

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available N. gonorrhoeae has been shown to form biofilms during cervical infection. Thus, biofilm formation may play an important role in the infection of women. The ability of N. gonorrhoeae to form membrane blebs is crucial to biofilm formation. Blebs contain DNA and outer membrane structures, which have been shown to be major constituents of the biofilm matrix. The organism expresses a DNA thermonuclease that is involved in remodeling of the biofilm matrix. Comparison of the transcriptional profiles of gonococcal biofilms and planktonic runoff indicate that genes involved in anaerobic metabolism and oxidative stress tolerance are more highly expressed in biofilm. The expression of aniA, ccp, and norB, which encode nitrite reductase, cytochrome c peroxidase, and nitric oxide reductase respectively, is required for mature biofilm formation over glass and human cervical cells. In addition, anaerobic respiration occurs in the substratum of gonococcal biofilms and disruption of the norB gene required for anaerobic respiration, results in a severe biofilm attenuation phenotype. It has been demonstrated that accumulation of nitric oxide (NO contributes to the phenotype of a norB mutant and can retard biofilm formation. However, NO can also enhance biofilm formation, and this is largely dependent on the concentration and donation rate or steady state kinetics of NO. The majority of the genes involved in gonococcal oxidative stress tolerance are also required for normal biofilm formation, as mutations in the following genes result in attenuated biofilm formation over cervical cells and/or glass: oxyR, gor, prx, mntABC, trxB, and estD. Overall, biofilm formation appears to be an adaptation for coping with the environmental stresses present in the female genitourinary tract. Therefore, this review will discuss the studies, which describe the composition and metabolic phenotype of gonococcal biofilms.

  20. Diagnostic aspects of infections with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and herpes simplex virus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. Ulsen (Josina)

    1994-01-01

    textabstractThe sexually transmitted diseases (STOs) constitute a worldwide problem of major significance in terms of health. economic and social consequences. The most important STOs are Ihe bacterial infections syphilis (causative agent Treponema pal/idum sub·species pallidum), gonorrhoea

  1. The majority of genes in the pathogenic Neisseria species are present in non-pathogenic Neisseria lactamica, including those designated as 'virulence genes'

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    Saunders Nigel J

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neisseria meningitidis causes the life-threatening diseases meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicemia. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is closely related to the meningococcus, but is the cause of the very different infection, gonorrhea. A number of genes have been implicated in the virulence of these related yet distinct pathogens, but the genes that define and differentiate the species and their behaviours have not been established. Further, a related species, Neisseria lactamica is not associated with either type of infection in normally healthy people, and lives as a harmless commensal. We have determined which of the genes so far identified in the genome sequences of the pathogens are also present in this non-pathogenic related species. Results Thirteen unrelated strains of N. lactamica were investigated using comparative genome hybridization to the pan-Neisseria microarray-v2, which contains 2845 unique gene probes. The presence of 127 'virulence genes' was specifically addressed; of these 85 are present in N. lactamica. Of the remaining 42 'virulence genes' only 11 are present in all four of the sequenced pathogenic Neisseria. Conclusion Assessment of the complete dataset revealed that the vast majority of genes present in the pathogens are also present in N. lactamica. Of the 1,473 probes to genes shared by all four pathogenic genome sequences, 1,373 hybridize to N. lactamica. These shared genes cannot include genes that are necessary and sufficient for the virulence of the pathogens, since N. lactamica does not share this behaviour. This provides an essential context for the interpretation of gene complement studies of the pathogens.

  2. In Vivo-Selected Compensatory Mutations Restore the Fitness Cost of Mosaic penA Alleles That Confer Ceftriaxone Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Leah R; Kerr, Samuel R; Tan, Yang; Tomberg, Joshua; Raterman, Erica L; Dunning Hotopp, Julie C; Unemo, Magnus; Nicholas, Robert A; Jerse, Ann E

    2018-04-03

    Resistance to ceftriaxone in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is mainly conferred by mosaic penA alleles that encode penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) variants with markedly lower rates of acylation by ceftriaxone. To assess the impact of these mosaic penA alleles on gonococcal fitness, we introduced the mosaic penA alleles from two ceftriaxone-resistant (Cro r ) clinical isolates (H041 and F89) into a Cro s strain (FA19) by allelic exchange and showed that the resultant Cro r mutants were significantly outcompeted by the Cro s parent strain in vitro and in a murine infection model. Four Cro r compensatory mutants of FA19 penA41 were isolated independently from mice that outcompeted the parent strain both in vitro and in vivo One of these compensatory mutants (LV41C) displayed a unique growth profile, with rapid log growth followed by a sharp plateau/gradual decline at stationary phase. Genome sequencing of LV41C revealed a mutation (G348D) in the acnB gene encoding the bifunctional aconitate hydratase 2/2 methylisocitrate dehydratase. Introduction of the acnB G348D allele into FA19 penA41 conferred both a growth profile that phenocopied that of LV41C and a fitness advantage, although not as strongly as that exhibited by the original compensatory mutant, suggesting the existence of additional compensatory mutations. The mutant aconitase appears to be a functional knockout with lower activity and expression than wild-type aconitase. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of FA19 penA41 acnB G348D revealed a large set of upregulated genes involved in carbon and energy metabolism. We conclude that compensatory mutations can be selected in Cro r gonococcal strains that increase metabolism to ameliorate their fitness deficit. IMPORTANCE The emergence of ceftriaxone-resistant (Cro r ) Neisseria gonorrhoeae has led to the looming threat of untreatable gonorrhea. Whether Cro resistance is likely to spread can be predicted from studies that compare the relative fitnesses of

  3. Expression, purification and preliminary X-ray analysis of the Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane protein PorB

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    Tanabe, Mikio; Iverson, Tina M.; (Vanderbilt)

    2010-01-28

    The Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane protein PorB was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified from inclusion bodies by denaturation in urea followed by refolding in buffered LDAO on a size-exclusion column. PorB has been crystallized in three different crystal forms: C222, R32 and P6{sub 3}. The C222 crystal form may contain either one or two PorB monomers in the asymmetric unit, while both the R32 and P6{sub 3} crystal forms contained one PorB monomer in the asymmetric unit. Of the three, the P6{sub 3} crystal form had the best diffraction quality, yielding data extending to 2.3 {angstrom} resolution.

  4. Apoptosis related genes expressed in cultured Fallopian tube epithelial cells infected in vitro with Neisseria gonorrhoeae

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    PAZ A REYES

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Infection of the Fallopian tubes (FT by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo can lead to acute salpingitis, an inflammatory condition resulting in damage primarily to the ciliated cells, with loss of ciliary activity and sloughing of the cells from the epithelium. Recently, we have shown that Ngo infection induced apoptosis in FT epithelium cells by a TNF-alpha dependent mechanism that could contribute to the cell and tissue damage observed in gonococcal salpingitis. Aim: To investigate the apoptosis-related genes expressed during apoptosis induction in cultured FT epithelial cells infected in vitro by Ngo. Materials and Methods: In the current study, we used cDNA macroarrays and real time PCR to identify and determine the expression levels of apoptosis related genes during the in vitro gonococci infection of FT epithelial cells. Results: Significant apoptosis was induced following infection with Ngo. Macroarray analysis identified the expression of multiple genes of the TNF receptor family (TNFRSF1B, -4, -6, -10A, -10B and -10D and the Bcl-2 family (BAK1, BAX, BLK, HRK and MCL-1 without differences between controls and infected cells. This lack of difference was confirmed by RT-PCR of BAX, Bcl-2, TNFRS1A (TNFR-I and TNFRSF1B (TNFR-II. Conclusion: Several genes related to apoptosis are expressed in primary cultures of epithelial cells of the human Fallopian tube. Infection with Ngo induces apoptosis without changes in the pattern of gene expression of several apoptosis-related genes. Results strongly suggest that Ngo regulates apoptosis in the FT by post-transcriptional mechanisms that need to be further addressed

  5. Notes from the Field: Increase in Neisseria meningitidis-Associated Urethritis Among Men at Two Sentinel Clinics - Columbus, Ohio, and Oakland County, Michigan, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazan, Jose A; Peterson, Amy S; Kirkcaldy, Robert D; Briere, Elizabeth C; Maierhofer, Courtney; Turner, Abigail Norris; Licon, Denisse B; Parker, Nicole; Dennison, Amanda; Ervin, Melissa; Johnson, Laura; Weberman, Barbara; Hackert, Pamela; Wang, Xin; Kretz, Cecilia B; Abrams, A Jeanine; Trees, David L; Del Rio, Carlos; Stephens, David S; Tzeng, Yih-Ling; DiOrio, Mary; Roberts, Mysheika Williams

    2016-06-03

    Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) urogenital infections, although less common than infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng), have been associated with urethritis, cervicitis, proctitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Nm can appear similar to Ng on Gram stain analysis (gram-negative intracellular diplococci) (1-5). Because Nm colonizes the nasopharynx, men who receive oral sex (fellatio) can acquire urethral Nm infections (1,3,5). This report describes an increase in Nm-associated urethritis in men attending sexual health clinics in Columbus, Ohio, and Oakland County, Michigan.

  6. Etiología de la uretritis masculina: estudio de 100 pacientes y detección de β lactamasa Etiological study of male urethritis in Medellín, Colombia

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    Edilma Jaramillo

    1993-03-01

    Full Text Available Esta investigación se efectuó para ampliar el conocimiento etiológico de la uretritis masculina en Medellín; se basó en 100 pacientes que acudieron para propósitos diagnósticos al Laboratorio Departamental de Salud Pública; a cada uno se le hicieron una encuesta con los datos clínicos y estudios de laboratorio para Chlamydia trachomatis (inmunofluorescencia directa o ELISA, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Incluyendo pruebas para la detección de β lactamasa y otras bacterias, Trichomonas vaginales y Candida spp. Se encontraron 22 pacientes infectados por C. trachomatis como único agente y 11 más en quienes estaba asociada a otro microorganismo (Incluyendo 6 en que había la asociación Chlamydia + Neisseria; 10 Infectados por N. gonorrhoeae, 6 por estreptococo alfa hemolítico, 4 por Candida spp y 2 por 7: vaginalis. En 45 pacientes la etiología fue desconocida. Quince de las 16 cepas de Neissel1a gonorrhoeae aisladas de estos pacientes fueron probadas para producción de β lactamasa y 10 resultaron positivas. Los 22 pacientes Infectados sólo por C. trachomatis tuvieron secreción uretral mucoide en tanto que 9 de los 10 cuyo único germen era N. gonohoeae la tuvieron purulenta. Microscópicamente una reacción leucocitaria superior a 10 leucocitos por campo se halló en 8 de los 10 pacientes con uretritis gonocóccica y en 4 de los 6 con infección mixta por Chlamydia y Neisseria. En contraste, sólo 6 de los 22 Infectados por Chlamydia tenían tal intensidad de inflamación. Todos los pacientes tuvieron disuria. Estudios futuros deben Incluir técnicas para evaluar el papel de otros agentes en la uretritas masculina y continuarla determinación de la frecuencia de cepas de Neisseria gono";hoeae productora de β lactamasa. Ala luz de los hallazgos presentados no se recomienda el tratamiento penicilínico de las uretritas gonocóccicas en Medellín.

    In order to further

  7. Impact of the New Abbott mPLUS feature on clinical laboratory efficiencies of abbott RealTime assays for detection of HIV-1, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucic, Danijela; Jones, Sara; Wiesneth, Russ; Barry, Cathy; Webb, Erika; Belova, Larissa; Dolan, Peggy; Ho, Shiaolan; Abravaya, Klara; Cloherty, Gavin

    2013-12-01

    Diagnostic laboratories are under increasing pressure to improve and expand their services. Greater flexibility in sample processing is a critical factor that can improve the time to results while reducing reagent waste, making laboratories more efficient and cost-effective. The introduction of the Abbott mPLUS feature, with the capacity for extended use of amplification reagents, significantly increases the flexibility of the m2000 platform and enables laboratories to customize their workflows based on sample arrival patterns. The flexibility in sample batch size offered by mPLUS enables significant reductions in processing times. For hepatitis B virus tests, a reduction in sample turnaround times of up to 30% (105 min) was observed for batches of 12 samples compared with those for batches of 24 samples; for Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae tests, the ability to run batches of 24 samples reduced the turnaround time by 83% (54 min) compared with that for batches of 48 samples. Excellent correlations between mPLUS and m2000 standard condition results were observed for all RealTime viral load assays evaluated in this study, with correlation r values of 0.998 for all assays tested. For the qualitative RealTime C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae assay, the overall agreements between the two conditions tested were >98% for C. trachomatis and 100% for N. gonorrhoeae. Comparable precision results were observed for the two conditions tested for all RealTime assays. The enhanced mPLUS capability provides clinical laboratories with increased efficiencies to meet increasingly stringent turnaround time requirements without increased costs associated with discarding partially used amplification reagents.

  8. Pili-Induced Clustering of N. gonorrhoeae Bacteria.

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    Johannes Taktikos

    Full Text Available Type IV pili (Tfp are prokaryotic retractable appendages known to mediate surface attachment, motility, and subsequent clustering of cells. Tfp are the main means of motility for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. Tfp are also involved in formation of the microcolonies, which play a crucial role in the progression of the disease. While motility of individual cells is relatively well understood, little is known about the dynamics of N. gonorrhoeae aggregation. We investigate how individual N. gonorrhoeae cells, initially uniformly dispersed on flat plastic or glass surfaces, agglomerate into spherical microcolonies within hours. We quantify the clustering process by measuring the area fraction covered by the cells, number of cell aggregates, and their average size as a function of time. We observe that the microcolonies are also able to move but their mobility rapidly vanishes as the size of the colony increases. After a certain critical size they become immobile. We propose a simple theoretical model which assumes a pili-pili interaction of cells as the main clustering mechanism. Numerical simulations of the model quantitatively reproduce the experimental data on clustering and thus suggest that the agglomeration process can be entirely explained by the Tfp-mediated interactions. In agreement with this hypothesis mutants lacking pili are not able to form colonies. Moreover, cells with deficient quorum sensing mechanism show similar aggregation as the wild-type bacteria. Therefore, our results demonstrate that pili provide an essential mechanism for colony formation, while additional chemical cues, for example quorum sensing, might be of secondary importance.

  9. Vaginal Lactobacilli Reduce Neisseria gonorrhoeae Viability through Multiple Strategies: An in Vitro Study

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    Claudio Foschi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC underline the need of “antibiotic-free” strategies for the control of gonorrhea. The aim of this study was to assess the anti-gonococcal activity of 14 vaginal Lactobacillus strains, belonging to different species (L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. vaginalis, isolated from healthy pre-menopausal women. In particular, we performed “inhibition” experiments, evaluating the ability of both lactobacilli cells and culture supernatants in reducing GC viability, at two different contact times (7 and 60 min. First, we found that the acidic environment, associated to lactobacilli metabolism, is extremely effective in counteracting GC growth, in a pH- and time-dependent manner. Indeed, a complete abolishment of GC viability by lactobacilli supernatants was observed only for pH values < 4.0, even at short contact times. On the contrary, for higher pH values, no 100%-reduction of GC growth was reached at any contact time. Experiments with organic/inorganic acid solutions confirmed the strict correlation between the pH levels and the anti-gonococcal effect. In this context, the presence of lactate seemed to be crucial for the anti-gonococcal activity, especially for pH values in the range 4.4–5.3, indicating that the presence of H+ ions is necessary but not sufficient to kill gonococci. Moreover, experiments with buffered supernatants led to exclude a direct role in the GC killing by other bioactive molecules produced by lactobacilli. Second, we noticed that lactobacilli cells are able to reduce GC viability and to co-aggregate with gonococci. In this context, we demonstrated that released-surface components with biosurfactant properties, isolated from “highly-aggregating” lactobacilli, could affect GC viability. The antimicrobial potential of biosurfactants isolated from lactobacilli against pathogens has been largely investigated, but this is the first report about a

  10. ATP Induces IL-1β Secretion in Neisseria gonorrhoeae-Infected Human Macrophages by a Mechanism Not Related to the NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 Axis

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    Killen García

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo has developed multiple immune evasion mechanisms involving the innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent findings have reported that Ngo reduces the IL-1β secretion of infected human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM. Here, we investigate the role of adenosine triphosphate (ATP in production and release of IL-1β in Ngo-infected MDM. We found that the exposure of Ngo-infected MDM to ATP increases IL-1β levels about ten times compared with unexposed Ngo-infected MDM (P0.05 and caspase-1 (CASP1, P>0.05. In addition, ATP was not able to modify caspase-1 activity in Ngo-infected MDM but was able to increase pyroptosis (P>0.01. Notably ATP treatment defined an increase of positive staining for IL-1β with a distinctive intracellular pattern of distribution. Collectively, these data demonstrate that ATP induces IL-1β secretion by a mechanism not related to the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis and likely is acting at the level of vesicle trafficking or pore formation.

  11. A genetic screen reveals a periplasmic copper chaperone required for nitrite reductase activity in pathogenic Neisseria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jen, Freda E-C; Djoko, Karrera Y; Bent, Stephen J; Day, Christopher J; McEwan, Alastair G; Jennings, Michael P

    2015-09-01

    Under conditions of low oxygen availability, Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are able to respire via a partial denitrification pathway in which nitrite is converted to nitrous oxide. In this process, nitrite reductase (AniA), a copper (Cu)-containing protein converts nitrite to NO, and this product is converted to nitrous oxide by nitric oxide reductase (NorB). NorB also confers protection against toxic NO, and so we devised a conditional lethal screen, using a norB mutant, to identify mutants that were resistant to nitrite-dependent killing. After random-deletion mutagenesis of N. meningitidis, this genetic screen identified a gene encoding a Cu chaperone that is essential for AniA function, AccA. Purified AccA binds one Cu (I) ion and also possesses a second binding site for Cu (II). This novel periplasmic Cu chaperone (AccA) appears to be essential for provision of Cu ions to AniA of pathogenic Neisseria to generate an active nitrite reductase. Apart from the Neisseria genus, AccA is distributed across a wide range of environmental Proteobacteria species. © FASEB.

  12. Treatment of gonorrhoea in Auckland, New Zealand: marked variation in prescriber adherence to treatment guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forster, Rose; Ng, Diana; Upton, Arlo; Franklin, Rick; Thomas, Mark

    2017-06-01

    The relentless emergence and spread of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae that are resistant to many antimicrobial agents has led to frequent changes in treatment guidelines, with a consequent risk that prescribers may not be aware of current guidelines. To determine the proportion of patients with gonorrhoea who were treated with a regimen consistent with the New Zealand Sexual Health Society (NZSHS) guidelines. We audited the treatment given to adult patients with laboratory-proven gonorrhoea in Auckland, New Zealand, during the first 6 months of 2015. Treatment compliant with the current NZSHS guidelines was administered in only 65% (458/706) episodes overall. Guideline-compliant treatment was much more likely to be prescribed for patients who presented to a sexual health clinic (89%) than for patients who presented to either a general practice or other community clinic (52%) or to a hospital (56%) (P Auckland region. Improved compliance with treatment guidelines, particularly in patients who present either to general practice or to hospitals, is necessary to maintain the efficacy of current treatment regimens. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  13. Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Slovenia, 2006-12: rise and fall of the multidrug-resistant NG-MAST genogroup 1407 clone?

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    Jeverica, Samo; Golparian, Daniel; Matičič, Mojca; Potočnik, Marko; Mlakar, Boštjan; Unemo, Magnus

    2014-06-01

    To determine the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates obtained between 2006 and 2012 in Slovenia. Gonococcal isolates obtained between 2006 and 2012 in Slovenia (n = 194) were investigated with Etest for susceptibility to cefixime, ceftriaxone, penicillin, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, tetracycline, gentamicin and spectinomycin. All isolates were examined with N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing for molecular epidemiology and sequencing of the major extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC) resistance determinants (penA, mtrR and penB) was performed. The overall prevalence of decreased susceptibility or resistance to cefixime and ceftriaxone (MIC ≥0.125 mg/L) was 11% and 5%, respectively. The decreased susceptibility or resistance showed an epidemic peak in 2011 (33% for cefixime and 11% for ceftriaxone), decreasing to 6% and 4%, respectively, in 2012. ST1407 (9% of isolates), ST21 (6%) and ST225 (6%) were the most common sequence types (STs) during 2006-12. Genogroup G1407 (ST1407 most prevalent ST), an internationally spread clone with decreased susceptibility or resistance to ESCs, was most prevalent (48%) in 2009. However, the G1407 prevalence then declined: in 2010, 30%; in 2011, 28%; and in 2012, 8%. Instead, in 2012 the ESC- and ciprofloxacin-susceptible G21 was the predominant genogroup (26%). The prevalence of gonococcal resistance to ESCs in Slovenia has been high, but fluctuating. Fortunately, in 2012 some ESC- and ciprofloxacin-susceptible clones, such as genogroups G21, G1195 and G2992, appeared to have mainly replaced the multidrug-resistant G1407 clone, a replacement also seen in several European countries. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. The use of high-throughput DNA sequencing in the investigation of antigenic variation: application to Neisseria species.

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    John K Davies

    Full Text Available Antigenic variation occurs in a broad range of species. This process resembles gene conversion in that variant DNA is unidirectionally transferred from partial gene copies (or silent loci into an expression locus. Previous studies of antigenic variation have involved the amplification and sequencing of individual genes from hundreds of colonies. Using the pilE gene from Neisseria gonorrhoeae we have demonstrated that it is possible to use PCR amplification, followed by high-throughput DNA sequencing and a novel assembly process, to detect individual antigenic variation events. The ability to detect these events was much greater than has previously been possible. In N. gonorrhoeae most silent loci contain multiple partial gene copies. Here we show that there is a bias towards using the copy at the 3' end of the silent loci (copy 1 as the donor sequence. The pilE gene of N. gonorrhoeae and some strains of Neisseria meningitidis encode class I pilin, but strains of N. meningitidis from clonal complexes 8 and 11 encode a class II pilin. We have confirmed that the class II pili of meningococcal strain FAM18 (clonal complex 11 are non-variable, and this is also true for the class II pili of strain NMB from clonal complex 8. In addition when a gene encoding class I pilin was moved into the meningococcal strain NMB background there was no evidence of antigenic variation. Finally we investigated several members of the opa gene family of N. gonorrhoeae, where it has been suggested that limited variation occurs. Variation was detected in the opaK gene that is located close to pilE, but not at the opaJ gene located elsewhere on the genome. The approach described here promises to dramatically improve studies of the extent and nature of antigenic variation systems in a variety of species.

  15. Enfoques mucosales en vacunologia de Neisseria

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    Pérez O

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Meningococcal B strains accounts for some 72% and 28% of meningococcal diseases in infants and toddlers in Europe and the USA, respectively. Nevertheless, meningococcal diseases are rare in Cuba owing to the wide spread program on antimeningococcal vaccination in the country. Finlay Institute is one of the pioneering organizations in Neisseria Vaccinology mainly by its contribution to N. meningitidis serogroup B outer membrane-based bivalent vaccine, VA-MENGOC-BC™. This vaccine was given intramuscularly in more than 60 million doses corresponding 10.7 millions of them to Cuban young adults, children, and infants. However, most dangerous or commensally Neisseria strains enter and establish in the mucosa, where the secretory (S IgA is the main specific guardian and is mainly induced by mucosal routes. However, few mucosal vaccines exist principally due to the absent of mucosal adjuvants. We develop a Finlay Adjuvant (AF platform based in outer membrane vesicles (Proteoliposome, PL and its derivate Cochleate (Co. AFPL1 derived from serogroup B N. meningitidis is a potent Th1/CTL driving parenteral adjuvant. AFCo1 is a potent mucosal adjuvant. Therefore, we sought to go deeper in the possible mucosal cross recognition between N. meningitidis serogroups and Neisseria species and explore a concurrent mucosal and parenteral immunization strategy (SinTimVaS in order to develop suitable mucosal vaccines. Experiments were conducted in Balb/c or C57Bl6 mice with mucosal and systemic immunization using AFCo1 and AFPL1. Human sera and saliva were also analyzed for cross cognition. Mucosal cross recognition at SIgA level in human saliva between N. meningitidis serogroups B, A, C, Y, and W135 were observed. This SIgA cross recognition response was also observed between pathogenic (N. meningitidis serogroup B, N. gonorrhoeae and non-pathogenic strains (N. flava, N. lactamica. The possible influence of meningococcal vaccination against Gonorrhea was also

  16. Performance of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaydos, C. A.; Cartwright, C. P.; Colaninno, P.; Welsch, J.; Holden, J.; Ho, S. Y.; Webb, E. M.; Anderson, C.; Bertuzis, R.; Zhang, L.; Miller, T.; Leckie, G.; Abravaya, K.; Robinson, J.

    2010-01-01

    A multicenter clinical study was conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, a multiplex real-time PCR assay, for simultaneous detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The specimens were collected from a total of 3,832 male and female subjects at 16 geographically diverse sites. Specimens included male and female urine samples, male urethral swabs, female endocervical swabs, and self-collected and clinician-collected vaginal swabs. Specimens were tested with the automated Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, Aptima Combo 2 assay (Gen-Probe), ProbeTec ET CT/GC assay (Becton Dickinson), and culture for N. gonorrhoeae. The Aptima Combo 2 assay, the ProbeTec assay, and the N. gonorrhoeae culture were used as the reference assays. For each subject, a patient infected status (PIS) was determined based on the combined results from the reference assays. The overall prevalence in female subjects was 8.9% for C. trachomatis and 3.8% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall male prevalence was 18.2% for C. trachomatis and 16.7% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay were 92.4% and 99.2% for C. trachomatis and 96.9% and 99.7% for N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. In comparison, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, for the Aptima Combo 2 assay were 94.5% and 99.0% for C. trachomatis and 96.1% and 99.5% for N. gonorrhoeae, and those for the ProbeTec ET assay were 90.3% and 99.5% for C. trachomatis and 92.0% and 97.3% for N. gonorrhoeae in this study. The Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay offers C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae dual detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The automated assay provides a useful alternative nucleic acid amplification assay for clinical laboratories and clinicians. PMID:20668135

  17. Mycoplasma genitalium compared to chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomonas as an aetiological agent of urethritis in men attending STD clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaydos, C; Maldeis, N E; Hardick, A; Hardick, J; Quinn, T C

    2009-10-01

    To investigate prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis in men, frequency of co-infections, and association of organisms with urethritis in men. This was a cross-sectional study of 290 men (age range 19-34 years) attending Baltimore City STD clinics. M genitalium, C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae and T vaginalis, during 2004 were detected using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) (153 with urethritis and 137 without urethritis). Demographic characteristics and risk factors were ascertained. The overall prevalences of infection with C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, T vaginalis and M genitalium were 20.3%, 12.8%, 3.4% and 15.2%, respectively. Prevalences in men with urethritis were 32.7%, 24.2%, 5.2% and 22.2% for C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, T vaginalis and M genitalium, respectively. Percentages of co-infections were high. All men with N gonorrhoeae had urethritis. C trachomatis and M genitalium were found to be significantly associated with urethritis in univariate analysis and in multiple logistic regression analysis. The association of M genitalium with urethritis in this study provides confirmation of the importance of screening men for M genitalium as a cause of non-gonococcal urethritis and supports treatment considerations for urethritis for agents other than gonococci and chlamydia.

  18. Estudio de patógenos implicados en enfermedades de transmisión sexual: Sensibilidad antibiótica. Genotipado y detección de cepas de linfogranuloma venéreo

    OpenAIRE

    Maulide Cane, Réka

    2014-01-01

    Trabajo fin de máster en Medicina Tropical y Salud Internacional Objetivo: El objetivo principal del presente trabajo es el estudio del porcentaje de casos de infección por Chamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae), Mycoplasma hominis (Mycoplasma hominis) y Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum) y la determinación de la resistencia antibiótica a N. gonorrhoeae en muestras de pacientes que acudieron a consultas de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz durante el per...

  19. Structural basis for solute transport, nucleotide regulation, and immunological recognition of Neisseria meningitidis PorB

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    Tanabe, Mikio; Nimigean, Crina M.; Iverson, T.M. (Weill-Med); (Vanderbilt)

    2010-06-25

    PorB is the second most prevalent outer membrane protein in Neisseria meningitidis. PorB is required for neisserial pathogenesis and can elicit a Toll-like receptor mediated host immune response. Here, the x-ray crystal structure of PorB has been determined to 2.3 {angstrom} resolution. Structural analysis and cocrystallization studies identify three putative solute translocation pathways through the channel pore: One pathway transports anions nonselectively, one transports cations nonselectively, and one facilitates the specific uptake of sugars. During infection, PorB likely binds host mitochondrial ATP, and cocrystallization with the ATP analog AMP-PNP suggests that binding of nucleotides regulates these translocation pathways both by partial occlusion of the pore and by restricting the motion of a putative voltage gating loop. PorB is located on the surface of N. meningitidis and can be recognized by receptors of the host innate immune system. Features of PorB suggest that Toll-like receptor mediated recognition outer membrane proteins may be initiated with a nonspecific electrostatic attraction.

  20. Duration of polymerase chain reaction-detectable DNA after treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections in women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, James A; Ofner, Susan; Batteiger, Byron E; Fortenberry, J Dennis; Van Der Pol, Barbara

    2014-03-01

    To avoid positive results attributable to residual DNA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding repeat testing with nucleic-acid based tests within 3 weeks after treatment of chlamydial (Chlamydia trachomatis [CT]) or gonococcal (Neisseria gonorrhoeae [GC]) infection. We retrospectively analyzed the duration of detectable DNA from a longitudinal cohort of adolescent women after diagnosis and treatment of infection with CT, GC, or Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Vaginal swabs were obtained weekly from young women for up to 12 weeks (observation period) after treatment of CT, GC and TV infections. Swabs were tested using a commercially available first generation nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for CT and GC, and a laboratory developed NAAT for TV. Kaplan-Meier statistics were used to estimate median time to the first negative DNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result. Observation periods were available for analysis for 195, 82 and 102 treatments for CT, GC, and TV infection, respectively. Median time to a first negative PCR result for CT, GC, and TV was 9 (range 0-84), 6 (0-76), and 7 (0-84) days, and by day 21, 89%, 95%, and 85% were negative, respectively. Data from this retrospective analysis indicate that greater than 85% of these young women did not have detectable CT, GC, or TV DNA by day 21 post-treatment. This data may be useful to clinicians for patient management and post-treatment testing purposes.

  1. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs for gonorrhoea diagnosis in women: Experience of a tertiary care hospital in north India

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    Seema Sood

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Gonorrhoea is among the most frequent of the estimated bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs and has significant health implications in women. The use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs has been shown to provide enhanced diagnosis of gonorrhoea in female patients. However, it is recommended that an on-going assessment of the test assays should be performed to check for any probable sequence variation occurring in the targeted region. In this study, an in-house PCR targeting opa-gene of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was used in conjunction with 16S ribosomal PCR to determine the presence of gonorrhoea in female patients attending the tertiary care hospitals. Methods: Endocervical samples collected from 250 female patients with complaints of vaginal or cervical discharge or pain in lower abdomen were tested using opa and 16S ribosomal assay. The samples were also processed by conventional methods. Results: Of the 250 female patients included in the study, only one was positive by conventional methods (microscopy and culture whereas 17 patients were found to be positive based on PCR results. Interpretation & conclusions: The clinical sensitivity of conventional methods for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae in female patients was low. The gonococcal detection rates increased when molecular method was used giving 16 additional positives. Studies should be done to find out other gene targets that may be used in the screening assays to detect the presence of gonorrhoea.

  2. High-Throughput Testing of Urogenital and Extragenital Specimens for Detection of Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae with Cobas® CT/NG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marlowe, Elizabeth M; Hardy, David; Krevolin, Mark; Gohl, Peter; Bertram, Alexander; Arcenas, Rodney; Seiverth, Britta; Schneider, Tanja; Liesenfeld, Oliver

    2017-09-01

    We compared the analytical and clinical performance of cobas ® CT/NG for use on the Cobas ® 6800/8800 Systems with the Cobas ® 4800 CT/NG Test from urogenital and extragenital specimens in over 12,000 specimens from both male and female subjects in Germany and the United States. The analytical sensitivity was ≤40 EB/ml for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and ≤1 CFU/ml for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Using clinical specimens, the overall percent agreement with the Cobas ® 4800 CT/NG Test was >98.5%. Across urogenital specimens, there were 93 discrepant specimens; 76 (93.8%) of 81 CT discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800- and 10 (83.3%) of 12 NG discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800-. Sequencing verified CT results for 45 (61.6%) of 73 samples positive by 6800 and 1 (20%) of 5 positive by 4800. Similarly, 7 (70.0%) of 10 NG samples positive by 6800 and 1 of 2 positive by 4800 were confirmed by sequencing. Among discrepant extragenital specimens (all 6800+/4800-), 7 (50%) of 14 oropharyngeal and 23 (76.7%) of 30 anorectal CT discordant samples were confirmed as CT positive by sequencing; all 8 anorectal and 20 (90.9%) of 22 oropharyngeal NG discordant results were also confirmed as NG positive. In conclusion, Cobas ® CT/NG for use on the Cobas ® 6800/8800 Systems provides high-throughput automated solutions for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening programs.

  3. Effectiveness of a group B outer membrane vesicle meningococcal vaccine against gonorrhoea in New Zealand: a retrospective case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petousis-Harris, Helen; Paynter, Janine; Morgan, Jane; Saxton, Peter; McArdle, Barbara; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Black, Steven

    2017-09-30

    Gonorrhoea is a major global public health problem that is exacerbated by drug resistance. Effective vaccine development has been unsuccessful, but surveillance data suggest that outer membrane vesicle meningococcal group B vaccines affect the incidence of gonorrhoea. We assessed vaccine effectiveness of the outer membrane vesicle meningococcal B vaccine (MeNZB) against gonorrhoea in young adults aged 15-30 years in New Zealand. We did a retrospective case-control study of patients at sexual health clinics aged 15-30 years who were born between Jan 1, 1984, and Dec 31, 1998, eligible to receive MeNZB, and diagnosed with gonorrhoea or chlamydia, or both. Demographic data, sexual health clinic data, and National Immunisation Register data were linked via patients' unique personal identifier. For primary analysis, cases were confirmed by laboratory isolation or detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae only from a clinical specimen, and controls were individuals with a positive chlamydia test only. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) comparing disease outcomes in vaccinated versus unvaccinated participants via multivariable logistic regression. Vaccine effectiveness was calculated as 100×(1-OR). 11 of 24 clinics nationally provided records. There were 14 730 cases and controls for analyses: 1241 incidences of gonorrhoea, 12 487 incidences of chlamydia, and 1002 incidences of co-infection. Vaccinated individuals were significantly less likely to be cases than controls (511 [41%] vs 6424 [51%]; adjusted OR 0·69 [95% CI 0·61-0·79]; pvaccine effectiveness of MeNZB against gonorrhoea after adjustment for ethnicity, deprivation, geographical area, and sex was 31% (95% CI 21-39). Exposure to MeNZB was associated with reduced rates of gonorrhoea diagnosis, the first time a vaccine has shown any protection against gonorrhoea. These results provide a proof of principle that can inform prospective vaccine development not only for gonorrhoea but also for meningococcal vaccines. GSK

  4. Extracts of Canadian first nations medicinal plants, used as natural products, inhibit neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with different antibiotic resistance profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cybulska, Paulina; Thakur, Sidharath D; Foster, Brian C; Scott, Ian M; Leduc, Renée I; Arnason, John T; Dillon, Jo-Anne R

    2011-07-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) has developed resistance to most antimicrobial agents and the antibiotics recommended for therapy are restricted, for the most part, to third generation cephalosporins. In order to investigate new potential sources of antimicrobial agents, the antibacterial properties of 14 Canadian plants used in traditional First Nations' medicine were tested against Ng isolates having differing antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. Ethanolic extracts of 14 Canadian botanicals, analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, were tested for their antimicrobial activity (disc diffusion and/or agar dilution assays) against susceptible Ng reference strains and a panel of 28 Ng isolates with various antimicrobial resistance profiles. Extracts of Arctostaphylos uva ursi (kinnikinnick or bearberry), Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Prunus serotina (black cherry), and Rhodiola rosea (roseroot) inhibited the growth of all Ng isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 32 μg/mL, 4 to 32 μg/mL, 16 to >32 μg/mL, and 32 to 64 μg/mL, respectively. Extracts of Acorus americanus (sweet flag), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh), Equisetum arvense (field horsetail), Gaultheria procumbens (wintergreen), Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea), Ledum palustre (marsh Labrador tea), Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose), Sambucus nigra (elderberry), and Zanthoxylum americanum (prickly ash) had weak or no antimicrobial activity against the Ng isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations ≥256 μg/mL. The phytochemical berberine from H. canadensis inhibited the growth of all Ng isolates. The phytochemicals, salidroside and rosavin, present in R. rosea, also showed inhibitory activity against Ng strains. Canadian botanicals represent a potential source of novel compounds which inhibit Ng, including isolates resistant to antibiotics.

  5. Structural effect of the Asp345a insertion in penicillin-binding protein 2 from penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedarovich, Alena; Cook, Edward; Tomberg, Joshua; Nicholas, Robert A; Davies, Christopher

    2014-12-09

    A hallmark of penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) from penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is insertion of an aspartate after position 345. The insertion resides on a loop near the active site and is immediately adjacent to an existing aspartate (Asp346) that forms a functionally important hydrogen bond with Ser363 of the SxN conserved motif. Insertion of other amino acids, including Glu and Asn, can also lower the rate of acylation by penicillin, but these insertions abolish transpeptidase function. Although the kinetic consequences of the Asp insertion are well-established, how it impacts the structure of PBP2 is unknown. Here, we report the 2.2 Å resolution crystal structure of a truncated construct of PBP2 containing all five mutations present in PBP2 from the penicillin-resistant strain 6140, including the Asp insertion. Commensurate with the strict specificity for the Asp insertion over similar amino acids, the insertion does not cause disordering of the structure, but rather induces localized flexibility in the β2c-β2d loop. The crystal structure resolves the ambiguity of whether the insertion is Asp345a or Asp346a (due to the adjacent Asp) because the hydrogen bond between Asp346 and Ser362 is preserved and the insertion is therefore Asp346a. The side chain of Asp346a projects directly toward the β-lactam-binding site near Asn364 of the SxN motif. The Asp insertion may lower the rate of acylation by sterically impeding binding of the antibiotic or by hindering breakage of the β-lactam ring during acylation because of the negative charge of its side chain.

  6. Lipooligosaccharide structure is an important determinant in the resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antimicrobial agents of innate host defense

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    Jacqueline T Balthazar

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The strict human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae has caused the sexually transmitted infection termed gonorrhea for thousands of years. Over the millennia, the gonococcus has likely evolved mechanisms to evade host defense systems that operate on the genital mucosal surfaces in both males and females. Past research has shown that the presence or modification of certain cell envelope structures can significantly impact levels of gonococcal susceptibility to host-derived antimicrobial compounds that bathe genital mucosal surfaces and participate in innate host defense against invading pathogens. In order to facilitate the identification of gonococcal genes that are important in determining levels of bacterial susceptibility to mediators of innate host defense, we used the Himar I mariner in vitro mutagenesis system to construct a transposon insertion library in strain F62. As proof of principle that this strategy would be suitable for this purpose, we screened the library for mutants expressing decreased susceptibility to the bacteriolytic action of normal human serum (NHS. We found that a transposon insertion in the lgtD gene, which encodes an N-acetylgalactosamine transferase involved in the extension of the α-chain of lipooligosaccharide (LOS, could confer decreased susceptibility of strain F62 to complement-mediated killing by NHS. By complementation and chemical analyses, we demonstrated both linkage of the transposon insertion to the NHS-resistance phenotype and chemical changes in LOS structure that resulted from loss of LgtD production. Further truncation of the LOS α-chain or loss of phosphoethanolamine (PEA from the lipid A region of LOS also impacted levels of NHS-resistance. PEA decoration of lipid A also increased gonococcal resistance to the model cationic antimicrobial polymyxin B. Taken together, we conclude that the Himar I mariner in vitro mutagenesis procedure can facilitate studies on structures involved in gonococcal

  7. Prevalence and treatment outcomes of routine Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis testing during antenatal care, Gaborone, Botswana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wynn, Adriane; Ramogola-Masire, Doreen; Gaolebale, Ponatshego; Moshashane, Neo; Sickboy, Ontiretse; Duque, Sofia; Williams, Elizabeth; Doherty, Klara; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Morroni, Chelsea

    2017-11-02

    Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) , Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) are curable, mostly asymptomatic, STIs that cause adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Most countries do not test for those infections during antenatal care. We implemented a CT, NG and TV testing and treatment programme in an antenatal clinic in Gaborone, Botswana. We conducted a prospective study in the antenatal clinic at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. We offered pregnant women who were 18 years or older and less than 35 weeks of gestation, CT, NG and TV testing using self-collected vaginal swabs. Testing was conducted using a GeneXpert® CT/NG and TV system. Those who tested positive were given directly observed antibiotic therapy and asked to return for a test of cure. We determined the prevalence of infections, uptake of treatment and proportion cured. The relationships between positive STI test and participant characteristics were assessed. We enrolled 400 pregnant women. Fifty-four (13.5%) tested positive for CT, NG and/or TV: 31 (8%) for CT, 5 (1.3%) for NG and 21 (5%) for TV. Among those who tested positive, 74% (40) received same-day, in person results and treatment. Among those who received delayed results (6), 67% (4) were treated. Statistical comparisons showed that being unmarried and HIV infected were positively association CT, NG and/or TV infection. Self-reported STI symptoms were not associated with CT, NG and/or TV infection. The prevalence of CT, NG and/or TV was high, particularly among women with HIV infection. Among women with CT, NG and/or TV infection, those who received same-day results were more likely to be treated than those who received delayed results. More research is needed on the costs and benefits of integrating highly sensitive and specific STI testing into antenatal care in Southern Africa. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No

  8. In Vivo-Selected Compensatory Mutations Restore the Fitness Cost of Mosaic penA Alleles That Confer Ceftriaxone Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leah R. Vincent

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Resistance to ceftriaxone in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is mainly conferred by mosaic penA alleles that encode penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2 variants with markedly lower rates of acylation by ceftriaxone. To assess the impact of these mosaic penA alleles on gonococcal fitness, we introduced the mosaic penA alleles from two ceftriaxone-resistant (Cror clinical isolates (H041 and F89 into a Cros strain (FA19 by allelic exchange and showed that the resultant Cror mutants were significantly outcompeted by the Cros parent strain in vitro and in a murine infection model. Four Cror compensatory mutants of FA19 penA41 were isolated independently from mice that outcompeted the parent strain both in vitro and in vivo. One of these compensatory mutants (LV41C displayed a unique growth profile, with rapid log growth followed by a sharp plateau/gradual decline at stationary phase. Genome sequencing of LV41C revealed a mutation (G348D in the acnB gene encoding the bifunctional aconitate hydratase 2/2 methylisocitrate dehydratase. Introduction of the acnBG348D allele into FA19 penA41 conferred both a growth profile that phenocopied that of LV41C and a fitness advantage, although not as strongly as that exhibited by the original compensatory mutant, suggesting the existence of additional compensatory mutations. The mutant aconitase appears to be a functional knockout with lower activity and expression than wild-type aconitase. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq analysis of FA19 penA41 acnBG348D revealed a large set of upregulated genes involved in carbon and energy metabolism. We conclude that compensatory mutations can be selected in Cror gonococcal strains that increase metabolism to ameliorate their fitness deficit.

  9. Rapid change in the ciprofloxacin resistance pattern among Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in Nuuk, Greenland: time to reconsider preventive and treatment strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolskov, Anne Skjerbæk; Bjorn-Mortensen, Karen; Mulvad, Gert; Poulsen, Peter; Jensen, Jørgen Skov; Pedersen, Michael Lynge

    2015-01-01

    Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), are highly incident in Greenland. Since January 2011, GC testing has been performed on urine with nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) by strand displacement amplification (Becton Dickinson ProbeTec). Monitoring of GC antibiotic susceptibility by culture was introduced in Nuuk in 2012. Until 2014, no cases of ciprofloxacin-resistant GC strains were reported. In this paper, we report the finding of ciprofloxacin-resistant GC and describe the most recent incidence of GC infections in Greenland. The number of urine NAATs and culture-positive swabs from January to October 2014 were obtained from the Central Laboratory at Queens Ingrid's Hospital in Nuuk and stratified on gender, place and period of testing. Incidence rates were estimated as number of urine NAAT * (12/10) per 100,000 inhabitants. Men in Nuuk with a positive NAAT for GC were encouraged to provide a urethral swab for culture and susceptibility testing. From January to October 2014, a total of 5,436 urine GC NAATs were performed on patients from Nuuk and 9,031 from the rest of Greenland. Of these, 422 (8%) and 820 (9%) were positive, respectively. From January to August, 6 (15%) cultures from Nuuk were ciprofloxacin resistant while in September and October, 26 (59%) were ciprofloxacin resistant (presistance. GC incidence in Nuuk was 3,017 per 100,000 inhabitants per year, compared to 2,491 per 100,000 inhabitants per year in the rest of Greenland. Within a short period, a rapid and dramatic change in ciprofloxacin susceptibility among GC strains isolated in Nuuk was documented and recommendation for first line treatments has changed. Continued monitoring and rethinking of primary and secondary preventive initiatives is highly recommended in this high GC incidence setting.

  10. Towards an improved Neisseria meningitidis B vaccine: vesicular PorA formulations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arigita Maza, C. (Carmen)

    2003-01-01

    There is a great need for vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. This is especially important in Western European countries, were approximately two thirds of the cases of meningococcal disease can be attributed to serogroup B strains. Against this serogroup, traditional vaccines based

  11. Genetic distribution of noncapsular meningococcal group B vaccine antigens in Neisseria lactamica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucidarme, Jay; Gilchrist, Stefanie; Newbold, Lynne S; Gray, Stephen J; Kaczmarski, Edward B; Richardson, Lynne; Bennett, Julia S; Maiden, Martin C J; Findlow, Jamie; Borrow, Ray

    2013-09-01

    The poor immunogenicity of the meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) capsule has led to the development of vaccines targeting subcapsular antigens, in particular the immunodominant and diverse outer membrane porin, PorA. These vaccines are largely strain specific; however, they offer limited protection against the diverse MenB-associated diseases observed in many industrialized nations. To broaden the scope of its protection, the multicomponent vaccine (4CMenB) incorporates a PorA-containing outer membrane vesicle (OMV) alongside relatively conserved recombinant protein components, including factor H-binding protein (fHbp), Neisseria adhesin A (NadA), and neisserial heparin-binding antigen (NHBA). The expression of PorA is unique to meningococci (Neisseria meningitidis); however, many subcapsular antigens are shared with nonpathogenic members of the genus Neisseria that also inhabit the nasopharynx. These organisms may elicit cross-protective immunity against meningococci and/or occupy a niche that might otherwise accommodate pathogens. The potential for 4CMenB responses to impact such species (and vice versa) was investigated by determining the genetic distribution of the primary 4CMenB antigens among diverse members of the common childhood commensal, Neisseria lactamica. All the isolates possessed nhba but were devoid of fhbp and nadA. The nhba alleles were mainly distinct from but closely related to those observed among a representative panel of invasive MenB isolates from the same broad geographic region. We made similar findings for the immunogenic typing antigen, FetA, which constitutes a major part of the 4CMenB OMV. Thus, 4CMenB vaccine responses may impact or be impacted by nasopharyngeal carriage of commensal neisseriae. This highlights an area for further research and surveillance should the vaccine be routinely implemented.

  12. Structural alterations in a component of cytochrome c oxidase and molecular evolution of pathogenic Neisseria in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Aspholm

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Three closely related bacterial species within the genus Neisseria are of importance to human disease and health. Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of meningitis, while Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the agent of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea and Neisseria lactamica is a common, harmless commensal of children. Comparative genomics have yet to yield clear insights into which factors dictate the unique host-parasite relationships exhibited by each since, as a group, they display remarkable conservation at the levels of nucleotide sequence, gene content and synteny. Here, we discovered two rare alterations in the gene encoding the CcoP protein component of cytochrome cbb(3 oxidase that are phylogenetically informative. One is a single nucleotide polymorphism resulting in CcoP truncation that acts as a molecular signature for the species N. meningitidis. We go on to show that the ancestral ccoP gene arose by a unique gene duplication and fusion event and is specifically and completely distributed within species of the genus Neisseria. Surprisingly, we found that strains engineered to express either of the two CcoP forms conditionally differed in their capacity to support nitrite-dependent, microaerobic growth mediated by NirK, a nitrite reductase. Thus, we propose that changes in CcoP domain architecture and ensuing alterations in function are key traits in successive, adaptive radiations within these metapopulations. These findings provide a dramatic example of how rare changes in core metabolic proteins can be connected to significant macroevolutionary shifts. They also show how evolutionary change at the molecular level can be linked to metabolic innovation and its reversal as well as demonstrating how genotype can be used to infer alterations of the fitness landscape within a single host.

  13. Current levels of gonorrhoea screening in MSM in Belgium may have little effect on prevalence: a modelling study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buyze, J; Vanden Berghe, W; Hens, N; Kenyon, C

    2018-02-01

    There is considerable uncertainty as to the effectiveness of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) screening in men who have sex with men. It is important to ensure that screening has benefits that outweigh the risks of increased antibiotics resistance. We develop a mathematical model to estimate the effectiveness of screening on prevalence. Separable Temporal Exponential family Random Graph Models are used to model the sexual relationships network, both with main and casual partners. Next, the transmission of Gonorrhoea is simulated on this network. The models are implemented using the R package 'statnet', which we adapted among other things to incorporate infection status at the pharynx, urethra and rectum separately and to distinguish between anal sex, oral sex and rimming. The different screening programmes compared are no screening, 3.5% of the population screened, 32% screened and 50% screened. The model simulates day-by-day evolution for 10 years of a population of 10 000. If half of the population would be screened, the prevalence in the pharynx decreases from 11.9% to 10.2%. We conclude that the limited impact of screening on NG prevalence may not outweigh the increased risk of antibiotic resistance.

  14. Oral administration of recombinant Neisseria meningitidis PorA genetically fused to H. pylori HpaA antigen increases antibody levels in mouse serum, suggesting that PorA behaves as a putative adjuvant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasquez, Abel E; Manzo, Ricardo A; Soto, Daniel A; Barrientos, Magaly J; Maldonado, Aurora E; Mosqueira, Macarena; Avila, Anastasia; Touma, Jorge; Bruce, Elsa; Harris, Paul R; Venegas, Alejandro

    2015-01-01

    The Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane protein PorA from a Chilean strain was purified as a recombinant protein. PorA mixed with AbISCO induced bactericidal antibodies against N. meningitidis in mice. When PorA was fused to the Helicobacter pylori HpaA antigen gene, the specific response against H. pylori protein increased. Splenocytes from PorA-immunized mice were stimulated with PorA, and an increase in the secretion of IL-4 was observed compared with that of IFN-γ. Moreover, in an immunoglobulin sub-typing analysis, a substantially higher IgG1 level was found compared with IgG2a levels, suggesting a Th2-type immune response. This study revealed a peculiar behavior of the purified recombinant PorA protein per se in the absence of AbISCO as an adjuvant. Therefore, the resistance of PorA to proteolytic enzymes, such as those in the gastrointestinal tract, was analyzed, because this is an important feature for an oral protein adjuvant. Finally, we found that PorA fused to the H. pylori HpaA antigen, when expressed in Lactococcus lactis and administered orally, could enhance the antibody response against the HpaA antigen approximately 3 fold. These observations strongly suggest that PorA behaves as an effective oral adjuvant.

  15. Secreted single‐stranded DNA is involved in the initial phase of biofilm formation by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zweig, Maria; Schork, Sabine; Koerdt, Andrea

    2014-01-01

    plays an important role in biofilm formation. Many clinical isolates contain a gonococcal genetic island that encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS). The T4SS of N. gonorrhoeae strain MS11 secretes ssDNA directly into the medium. Biofilm formation, studied in continuous flow‐chamber systems...... was developed in which thermostable fluorescently labelled ssDNA‐ and ss/dsDNA‐binding proteins were used to visualize ssDNA and total DNA in biofilms and planktonic cultures. Remarkably, mainly dsDNA was detected in biofilms of the ssDNA secreting strain. We conclude that the secreted ssDNA facilitates initial...

  16. Utilizing CMP-Sialic Acid Analogs to Unravel Neisseria gonorrhoeae Lipooligosaccharide-Mediated Complement Resistance and Design Novel Therapeutics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunita Gulati

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria gonorrhoeae deploys a novel immune evasion strategy wherein the lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT structure of lipooligosaccharide (LOS is capped by the bacterial sialyltransferase, using host cytidine-5'-monophosphate (CMP-activated forms of the nine-carbon nonulosonate (NulO sugar N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac, a sialic acid (Sia abundant in humans. This allows evasion of complement-mediated killing by recruiting factor H (FH, an inhibitor of the alternative complement pathway, and by limiting classical pathway activation ("serum-resistance". We utilized CMP salts of six additional natural or synthetic NulOs, Neu5Gc, Neu5Gc8Me, Neu5Ac9Ac, Neu5Ac9Az, legionaminic acid (Leg5Ac7Ac and pseudaminic acid (Pse5Ac7Ac, to define structural requirements of Sia-mediated serum-resistance. While all NulOs except Pse5Ac7Ac were incorporated into the LNnT-LOS, only Neu5Gc incorporation yielded high-level serum-resistance and FH binding that was comparable to Neu5Ac, whereas Neu5Ac9Az and Leg5Ac7Ac incorporation left bacteria fully serum-sensitive and did not enhance FH binding. Neu5Ac9Ac and Neu5Gc8Me rendered bacteria resistant only to low serum concentrations. While serum-resistance mediated by Neu5Ac was associated with classical pathway inhibition (decreased IgG binding and C4 deposition, Leg5Ac7Ac and Neu5Ac9Az incorporation did not inhibit the classical pathway. Remarkably, CMP-Neu5Ac9Az and CMP-Leg5Ac7Ac each prevented serum-resistance despite a 100-fold molar excess of CMP-Neu5Ac in growth media. The concomitant presence of Leg5Ac7Ac and Neu5Ac on LOS resulted in uninhibited classical pathway activation. Surprisingly, despite near-maximal FH binding in this instance, the alternative pathway was not regulated and factor Bb remained associated with bacteria. Intravaginal administration of CMP-Leg5Ac7Ac to BALB/c mice infected with gonorrhea (including a multidrug-resistant isolate reduced clearance times and infection burden. Bacteria recovered

  17. Antibiotics for treating gonorrhoea in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comunián-Carrasco, Gabriella; Peña-Martí, Guiomar E; Martí-Carvajal, Arturo J

    2018-02-21

    Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection that is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and is a major public health challenge today. N gonorrhoeae can be transmitted from the mother's genital tract to the newborn during birth, and can cause gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum as well as systemic neonatal infections. It can also cause endometritis and pelvic sepsis in the mother. This review updates and replaces an earlier Cochrane Review on antibiotics for treating this infectious condition. To assess the clinical effectiveness and harms of antibiotics for treating gonorrhoea in pregnant women. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 May 2017), LILACS database (1982 to April 5, 2017), the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP; April 5, 2017), ClinicalTrials.gov (April 5, 2017), the ISRCTN Registry (April 5, 2017), and Epistemonikos (April 5, 2017). We also searched reference lists of all retrieved articles. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of antibiotics for treating gonorrhoea in pregnancy. The antibiotics could have been used alone or in combination, were administered parenterally, orally, or both, and were compared with another antibiotic.We included RCTs regardless of their publication status (published, unpublished, published as an article, an abstract, or a letter), language, or country. We applied no limits on the length of follow-up.We excluded RCTs using a cluster- or cross-over design, or quasi-RCTs. Three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data, and checked them for accuracy. We included two RCTs, that randomised 514 pregnant women (347 women analysed) at a mean gestational age of 22 weeks. Both trials were conducted in the outpatient department of the same two hospitals in the USA between 1993 and 2001, and had a follow-up of 14 days. One of the trials was sponsored by a drug company. We considered both trials to

  18. Diagnosis of common bacterial causes of urethritis in men by Gram stain, culture and multiplex PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahan, F; Shamsuzzaman, S M; Akter, S

    2014-12-01

    Urethritis is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The aim of this study was to detect common bacterial causes of urethritis in men by Gram stain, culture and multiplex PCR.185 male patients who presented at the Skin and venereal clinic of the Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh with clinical symptoms suggestive of urethritis were enrolled in this study. Urethral discharges were tested for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Gram stain, culture and PCR. Multiplex PCR assay was done to detect DNA of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma genitalium. Out of 185 participants, 30.27% and 14.6% were infected by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis respectively. None of the individuals was found positive for either Ureaplasma urealyticum or Mycoplasma genitalium. Among the Neisseria gonorrhoeae positive patients 27.57% were positive from Gram stain, 26.49% were culture positive, 30.27% were positive by PCR (p<0.001). 32.65% of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were penicillinase producers and 83.67% were susceptible to ceftriaxone. Considering culture as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of PCR for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was 100%, and 94.85% respectively with an accuracy of 96.22%. 3.73% of the 134 smear negative and 5.15% of the 136 culture negative samples were positive by PCR. PCR was the most sensitive and rapid method for the diagnosis of urethritis. Multiplex PCR may be a useful approach to laboratory diagnosis of urethritis in men for its high sensitivity and specificity.

  19. In-house polymerase chain reaction for affordable and sustainable Chlamydia trachomatis detection in Trinidad and Tobago Sistema autóctono para la detección asequible y sustentable de Chlamydia trachomatis por la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa en Trinidad y Tobago

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne Rampersad

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To provide a preliminary assessment of in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR as an alternative to the more costly commercial test for detection of asymptomatic infection by Chlamydia trachomatis and to provide much needed demographic data on infection indicators within the Trinidad and Tobago public health care system. METHODS: An inexpensive in-house nested-PCR with an Internal Amplification Control was used to detect C. trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urine samples collected from 273 apparently healthy, pregnant women from March-September 2004 in Trinidad, West Indies. Demographic information on participants was collected and subjected to statistical analyses. RESULTS: C. trachomatis was detected in 57/273 (21% samples, of which 5 (2% were also positive for N. gonorrhoeae. Infection correlated well with certain demographic parameters, with the highest incidence of C. trachomatis infection found among pregnant women that were single or of African descent. CONCLUSIONS: Given the lack of commercial tests in Trinidad, in-house PCR is an inexpensive alternative that can be used to detect asymptomatic infections of C. trachomatis and to provide demographic information needed for interventions by the public health care system.OBJETIVOS: Hacer una evaluación preliminar de un sistema autóctono para la detección de la infección asintomática por Chlamydia trachomatis mediante la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (RCP, como alternativa a los costosos sistemas comerciales, y ofrecer datos demográficos muy necesarios relacionados con los indicadores de esta infección en el sistema de salud pública de Trinidad y Tobago. MÉTODOS: Se empleó un sistema autóctono y económico de RCP anidada con control interno de la amplificación para la detección de C. trachomatis y Neisseria gonorrhoeae en muestras de orina de 273 mujeres embarazadas asintomáticas, entre marzo y septiembre de 2004 en Trinidad y Tobago, Indias

  20. Clinical Efficacy of a Single Two Gram Dose of Azithromycin Extended Release for Male Patients with Urethritis

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    Satoshi Takahashi

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available To clarify the clinical efficacy of a single oral 2 g dose of azithromycin extended-release for heterosexual male patients with urethritis, and the current antimicrobial sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to azithromycin, a prospective clinical trial was conducted from 2011–2013. In patients with gonococcal urethritis, the eradication rate was 90.9% (30 of 33. The susceptibility rates of isolated Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, cefixime and azithromycin were 100%, 100%, 95.3% (41/43 and 37.2% (16/43, respectively. In the patients with nongonococcal urethritis, the eradication rate was 90.0% (45 of 50. The microbiological eradication rates for the pathogens were 90.9% (30/33 for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 91.5% (43/47 for Chlamydia trachomatis, 71.4% (5/7 for Mycoplasma genitalium, and 100% (13/13 for Ureaplasma urealyticum. The main adverse event was diarrhea and its manifestation rate was 35.2% (32 of 120. The symptom of diarrhea was mostly temporary and resolved spontaneously. The conclusion was that the treatment regimen with a single oral 2 g dose of azithromycin extended-release would be effective for patients with urethritis. However, the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium should be carefully monitored because of possible treatment failure.

  1. Clinical Efficacy of a Single Two Gram Dose of Azithromycin Extended Release for Male Patients with Urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Satoshi; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Ito, Shin; Iwasawa, Akihiko; Hiyama, Yoshiki; Uehara, Teruhisa; Ichihara, Koji; Hashimoto, Jiro; Masumori, Naoya; Sunaoshi, Kenichi; Takeda, Koichi; Suzuki, Nobukazu; Hosobe, Takahide; Goto, Hirokazu; Suzuki, Hidenori; Onodera, Shoichi

    2014-04-02

    To clarify the clinical efficacy of a single oral 2 g dose of azithromycin extended-release for heterosexual male patients with urethritis, and the current antimicrobial sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to azithromycin, a prospective clinical trial was conducted from 2011-2013. In patients with gonococcal urethritis, the eradication rate was 90.9% (30 of 33). The susceptibility rates of isolated Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, cefixime and azithromycin were 100%, 100%, 95.3% (41/43) and 37.2% (16/43), respectively. In the patients with nongonococcal urethritis, the eradication rate was 90.0% (45 of 50). The microbiological eradication rates for the pathogens were 90.9% (30/33) for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 91.5% (43/47) for Chlamydia trachomatis, 71.4% (5/7) for Mycoplasma genitalium, and 100% (13/13) for Ureaplasma urealyticum. The main adverse event was diarrhea and its manifestation rate was 35.2% (32 of 120). The symptom of diarrhea was mostly temporary and resolved spontaneously. The conclusion was that the treatment regimen with a single oral 2 g dose of azithromycin extended-release would be effective for patients with urethritis. However, the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium should be carefully monitored because of possible treatment failure.

  2. Interaction of Microbiology and Pathology in Women Undergoing Investigations for Infertility

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    Joseph Debattista

    2004-01-01

    asymptomatic women undergoing investigation of infertility were correlated with the outcomes of microbiological screening for Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis, ureaplasma species, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

  3. Independent evolution of the core and accessory gene sets in the genus Neisseria: insights gained from the genome of Neisseria lactamica isolate 020-06

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    White Brian

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genus Neisseria contains two important yet very different pathogens, N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae, in addition to non-pathogenic species, of which N. lactamica is the best characterized. Genomic comparisons of these three bacteria will provide insights into the mechanisms and evolution of pathogenesis in this group of organisms, which are applicable to understanding these processes more generally. Results Non-pathogenic N. lactamica exhibits very similar population structure and levels of diversity to the meningococcus, whilst gonococci are essentially recent descendents of a single clone. All three species share a common core gene set estimated to comprise around 1190 CDSs, corresponding to about 60% of the genome. However, some of the nucleotide sequence diversity within this core genome is particular to each group, indicating that cross-species recombination is rare in this shared core gene set. Other than the meningococcal cps region, which encodes the polysaccharide capsule, relatively few members of the large accessory gene pool are exclusive to one species group, and cross-species recombination within this accessory genome is frequent. Conclusion The three Neisseria species groups represent coherent biological and genetic groupings which appear to be maintained by low rates of inter-species horizontal genetic exchange within the core genome. There is extensive evidence for exchange among positively selected genes and the accessory genome and some evidence of hitch-hiking of housekeeping genes with other loci. It is not possible to define a 'pathogenome' for this group of organisms and the disease causing phenotypes are therefore likely to be complex, polygenic, and different among the various disease-associated phenotypes observed.

  4. Performance of syndromic management for the detection and treatment of genital Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis among women attending antenatal, well woman and sexual health clinics in Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallely, Lisa M; Toliman, Pamela; Ryan, Claire; Rai, Glennis; Wapling, Johanna; Gabuzzi, Josephine; Allen, Joyce; Opa, Christine; Munnull, Gloria; Kaima, Petronia; Kombuk, Benny; Kumbia, Antonia; Kombati, Zure; Law, Greg; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Wand, Handan; Siba, Peter M; Mola, Glen D L; Kaldor, John M; Vallely, Andrew J

    2017-12-29

    Papua New Guinea (PNG) has among the highest estimated prevalences of genital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) of any country in the Asia-Pacific region. Diagnosis and treatment of these infections have relied on the WHO-endorsed syndromic management strategy that uses clinical presentation without laboratory confirmation to make treatment decisions. We evaluated the performance of this strategy in clinical settings in PNG. Women attending antenatal (ANC), well woman (WWC) and sexual health (SHC) clinics in four provinces were invited to participate, completed a face-to-face interview and clinical examination, and provided genital specimens for laboratory testing. We estimated the performance characteristics of syndromic diagnoses against combined laboratory diagnoses. 1764 women were enrolled (ANC=765; WWC=614; SHC=385). The prevalences of CT, NG and TV were highest among women attending ANC and SHC. Among antenatal women, syndromic diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection had low sensitivity (9%-21%) and positive predictive value (PPV) (7%-37%), but high specificity (76%-89%) and moderate negative predictive value (NPV) (55%-86%) for the combined endpoint of laboratory-confirmed CT, NG or TV. Among women attending WWC and SHC, 'vaginal discharge syndrome' had moderate to high sensitivity (72%-78%) and NPV (62%-94%), but low specificity (26%-33%) and PPV (8%-38%). 'Lower abdominal pain syndrome' had low sensitivity (26%-41%) and PPV (8%-23%) but moderate specificity (66%-68%) and high NPV (74%-93%) among women attending WWC, and moderate-high sensitivity (67%-79%) and NPV (62%-86%) but low specificity (26%-28%) and PPV (14%-33%) among SHC attendees. The performance of syndromic management for the detection and treatment of genital chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomonas was poor among women in different clinical settings in PNG. New diagnostic strategies are needed to control these infections and to prevent

  5. Gonorrhoe bei Erwachsenen und Adoleszenten

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bremer, Viviane

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available According to WHO estimates, Neisseria gonorrhoeae accounted for illion infections in 2008, a number of cases approximately matching those of Chlamydia infections. Gonococcal infections thus represent one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, second only to trichomonas vaginalis infections.This guideline aims to improve patient care by optimizing the diagnosis and treatment of infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and to raise awareness among medical professionals of current treatment options.

  6. Phytomedicine versus Gonorrhoea: The Bapedi Experience ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Phytomedicine versus Gonorrhoea: The Bapedi Experience. LJC Erasmus, MJ Potgieter, SS Semenya, SJ Lennox. Abstract. Records regarding the phytomedicine employed by the Bapedi are almost non-existent. This is the first study of herbal remedies used by Bapedi traditional healers to treat gonorrhoea, of concern as it ...

  7. Detection of T. vaginalis,M. hominis,M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae and U. urealyticum using Multiplex PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Brunelli

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Intoduction. The sexually transmitted diseases include a large group of infections affecting both the sexes. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Ureaplasma urealyticum in the Prato area during the period September 2010 – July 2011. Methods.We analysed different kind of samples (urine, endocervical swabs, urethral swabs, seminal fluids from hospitalized patients or referred to the Prato clinic subjects.The DNA was obtained using EZ1-DNA extraction kit and EZ1 instrument.The DNA was then amplified using the Seeplex STD6 kit (Seegene, Korea, identifying multiple pathogens simultaneously (T. vaginalis, M. hominis, M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae e U. urealyticum. The revelation was performed by electrophoresis on microchip (instrument Multina, Shimadzu, Japan. Results. 1136 samples from Italian and foreign patients were examined: 876 were endocervical swabs (77%, 103 urethral swabs (9%, 103 seminal fluids (9%, and 54 urines (5%. The number of females was higher than males [894 (78.7% vs 242 (21.3%]; the mean age of females was 37.0±11.6 years, whereas that of males was 41.5 ±12.63 years.The prevalence of urogenital pathogens was: 15 positive samples for T. vaginalis (1.3%, 56 for M. hominis (4.9%, 13 for M. genitalium (1.1%, 28 for C. trachomatis (2.5%, 8 for N. gonorrhoeae (0.7% and 87 for U. urealyticum (7.7%.Among all positive, 25 subjects were positive for more than one pathogen and in particular: one was positive for the presence of 4 pathogens, five presented 3 pathogens simultaneously and the remaining nineteen for 2 pathogens. Conclusions. This study provides data on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in the hospital of Prato.

  8. High prevalence of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea among men who have sex with men and transgender women attending trusted community centres in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keshinro, Babajide; Crowell, Trevor A; Nowak, Rebecca G; Adebajo, Sylvia; Peel, Sheila; Gaydos, Charlotte A; Rodriguez-Hart, Cristina; Baral, Stefan D; Walsh, Melissa J; Njoku, Ogbonnaya S; Odeyemi, Sunday; Ngo-Ndomb, Teclaire; Blattner, William A; Robb, Merlin L; Charurat, Manhattan E; Ake, Julie

    2016-01-01

    Sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevalence have been reported to be higher amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria than in the general population. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea in this population using laboratory-based universal testing. TRUST/RV368 represents a cohort of MSM and transgender women (TGW) recruited at trusted community centres in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria, using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Participants undergo a structured comprehensive assessment of HIV-related risks and screening for anorectal and urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae , and HIV. Crude and RDS-weighted prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Log-binomial regression was used to explore factors associated with prevalent HIV infection and STIs. From March 2013 to January 2016, 862 MSM and TGW (316 in Lagos and 546 in Abuja) underwent screening for HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea at study enrolment. Participants' median age was 24 years [interquartile range (IQR) 21-27]. One-third (34.2%) were identified as gay/homosexual and 65.2% as bisexual. The overall prevalence of HIV was 54.9%. After adjusting for the RDS recruitment method, HIV prevalence in Abuja was 43.5% (95% CI 37.3-49.6%) and in Lagos was 65.6% (95% CI 54.7-76.5%). The RDS-weighted prevalence of chlamydia was 17.0% (95% CI 11.8-22.3%) in Abuja and 18.3% (95% CI 11.1-25.4%) in Lagos. Chlamydia infection was detected only at the anorectal site in 70.2% of cases. The RDS-weighted prevalence of gonorrhoea was 19.1% (95% CI 14.6-23.5%) in Abuja and 25.8% (95% CI 17.1-34.6%) in Lagos. Overall, 84.2% of gonorrhoea cases presented with anorectal infection only. Over 95% of STI cases were asymptomatic. In a multivariable model, increased risk for chlamydia/gonorrhoea was associated with younger age, gay/homosexual sexual orientation and higher number of partners for receptive anal sex

  9. Etiología de la uretritis masculina. Estudio en 100 pacientes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clara Inés Vargas

    1992-06-01

    Full Text Available Estudiamos 100 pacientes con síntomas de uretritis, que acudieron a la clínica del Hombre de Profamilia, para determinar la frecuencia con que se presentan Neisseria gonorrhoeae y Chlamydia trachomatis como agentes etiológicos de esta enfermedad. El diagnóstico de N. gonorrhoeae se realizó por cultivo en Thayer Martin y el de C. trachomatis por cultivo en células McCoy y por ELISA. También se practicó un extendido y se coloreó con Gram para determinar la reacción leucocitaria y la presencia de diplococos Grarn negativos intracelulares. El 57%de los pacientes tenían antecedentes de uretritis, el 75% presentaban disuria y el 72% decían tener secreción uretral pero ésta sólo se comprobó en 47% del total. La N. gonorrhoeae se aisló en 13 pacientes todos los cuales presentaron en el extendido >5 PMN x cm; en 12 se notó la presencia de diplococos Gram negativos intracelulares. En 27 pacientes se diagnosticó C. trachomatis, 11 fueron positivos por las dos técnicas, 15 por ELlSA y 1 por cultivo; la reacción leucocitaria deterrninada en el extendido fue variable. En un paciente se aislaron los dos micoorganismos. Nuestros resultados señalan la importancia de la infección por C. trachomatis en la población masculina y la necesidad de realizar un diagnóstico adecuado por el laboratorio.

  10. Use of nfsB, encoding nitroreductase, as a reporter gene to determine the mutational spectrum of spontaneous mutations in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dunham Stephen

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Organisms that are sensitive to nitrofurantoin express a nitroreductase. Since bacterial resistance to this compound results primarily from mutations in the gene encoding nitroreductase, the resulting loss of function of nitroreductase results in a selectable phenotype; resistance to nitrofurantoin. We exploited this direct selection for mutation to study the frequency at which spontaneous mutations arise (transitions and transversions, insertions and deletions. Results A nitroreductase- encoding gene was identified in the N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 genome by using a bioinformatic search with the deduced amino acid sequence derived from the Escherichia coli nitroreductase gene, nfsB. Cell extracts from N. gonorrhoeae were shown to possess nitroreductase activity, and activity was shown to be the result of NfsB. Spontaneous nitrofurantoin-resistant mutants arose at a frequency of ~3 × 10-6 - 8 × 10-8 among the various strains tested. The nfsB sequence was amplified from various nitrofurantoin-resistant mutants, and the nature of the mutations determined. Transition, transversion, insertion and deletion mutations were all readily detectable with this reporter gene. Conclusion We found that nfsB is a useful reporter gene for measuring spontaneous mutation frequencies. Furthermore, we found that mutations were more likely to arise in homopolymeric runs rather than as base substitutions.

  11. Test of cure, retesting and extragenital testing practices for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among general practitioners in different socioeconomic status areas: A retrospective cohort study, 2011-2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Liere, Geneviève A. F. S.; Cals, Jochen W. L.; Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole H. T. M.

    2018-01-01

    Background For Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), a test of cure (TOC) within 3–5 weeks is not recommended. International guidelines differ in advising a Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) TOC. Retesting CT and NG positives within 3–12 months is recommended in international guidelines. We assessed TOC and retesting practices including extragenital testing in general practitioner (GP) practices located in different socioeconomic status (SES) areas to inform and optimize local test practices. Methods Laboratory data of 48 Dutch GP practices between January 2011 and July 2016 were used. Based on a patient’s first positive CT or NG test, the proportion of TOC (TOC and 24% had a retest at the GP practice. GP practices in low SES areas were more likely to perform a CT TOC (OR:1.8;95%CI:1.1–3.1). Younger patients (TOC (OR:1.6;95%CI:1.0–2.4). For CT (n = 622), 2.4% had a TOC and 6.1% had a retest at another STI care provider. For NG (n = 73), 25% had a TOC and 15% had a retest at the GP practice. For NG (n = 73), 2.7% had a TOC and 12.3% had a retest at another STI care provider. In only 0.3% of the consultations patients were tested on extragenital sites. Conclusion Almost 20% of the patients returned for a CT TOC, especially at GP practices in low SES areas. For NG, 1 out of 4 patients returned for a TOC. Retesting rates were low for both CT (24%) and NG (15%), (re)infections including extragenital infections may be missed. Efforts are required to focus TOC and increase retesting practices of GPs in order to improve CT/NG control. PMID:29538469

  12. An evaluation of microcult g.c. in venereal disease clinics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, A O; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    1977-01-01

    Microcult G.C. is a kit for cultivation and identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. ue of this kit was compared with the cultivation and identification methods of the Neisseria Department, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen (WHO collaborating center for reference and research in gonococci). The i...

  13. Enfermedad por meningococo, Neisseria meningitidis: perspectiva epidemiológica, clínica y preventiva Meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis: epidemiological, clinical, and preventive perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lourdes Almeida-González

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available La meningitis bacteriana continúa siendo uno de los grandes problemas de la salud pública mundial. En particular, la infección por Neisseria meningitidis afecta tanto a países desarrollados como subdesarrollados, y se presenta en formas endémicas y epidémicas. La enfermedad meningocóccica se puede manifestar clínicamente no sólo como meningitis, sino con cuadros fulminantes de meningococcemia. La persistencia de N. meningitidis se debe al gran porcentaje de portadores y a la dinámica de transmisión de la bacteria. Aproximadamente 500 millones de personas en el mundo son portadoras de N. meningitidis en la nasofaringe. Los factores de transmisiblidad identificados han sido el tabaquismo activo o pasivo, la presencia de infecciones virales del tracto respiratorio superior, épocas de sequía, y el hacinamiento. Por lo anterior, se han descrito brotes de enfermedad meningocóccica en cuarteles militares, escuelas, cárceles y dormitorios. Algunos determinantes que permiten la invasión sistémica incluyen daños en la mucosa nasofaríngea de portadores, cepas virulentas con formación de cápsula, ausencia de anticuerpos bactericidas y deficiencias del sistema del complemento. El control de la enfermedad meningocóccica en circunstancias endémicas y epidémicas se logra por el tratamiento de casos con antibióticos adecuados (penicilina, ceftriaxona o cloranfenicol, la quimioprofilaxis de contactos cercanos (ciprofloxacina, rifampicina o ceftriaxona, y la vigilancia clínica de éstos. Sin embargo, es fundamental subrayar que la clave para el control efectivo de la enfermedad meningocóccica es la inmunoprofilaxis. Las vacunas disponibles incluyen las de polisacáridos monovalentes o bivalentes (serogrupos A y C, tetravalentes (A, C, Y, W-135, la conjugada (C o la combinada de proteínas de membrana celular y polisacárido (B y C. Recientemente nos hemos visto forzados a establecer planes nacionales de respuesta que incluyen la

  14. Increased incidence of gonorrhoea and chlamydia in Greenland 1990-2012

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Mila Broby; Koch, Anders; Wohlfahrt, Jan

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Since the 1970s, Greenland has presented the highest reported incidence rates of the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the Arctic regions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe sex- and age-specific incidence rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia from 1990...... to 2012 in Greenland, and to evaluate if changes in case definitions, diagnostic procedures and implementation of STI interventions during the period coincide with rate changes. DESIGN: Gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases were identified from the national STI surveillance. For 1990-2008, STI cases were...... to sex, age and calendar period. RESULTS: Gonorrhoea and chlamydia incidence rates have increased since 1995 to reach 2,555 per 100,000 person-years (PY) for gonorrhoea and 6,403 per 100,000 PY for chlamydia in 2012. From 2006 to 2012, the incidence rates among young adults aged 15-19 years were 8...

  15. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae and human papilloma virus among women-at risk in the Aegian region of Turkey, and their knowledge about HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazi, H; Surucuoglu, S; Yolasigmaz, G; Sen, M; Akcali, S; Dinc, G; Teker, A; Sanlidag, T; Koroğlu, G

    2008-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS among Turkish brothel based sex-workers (SWs). A pre-designed questionnaire was administered to 199 SWs to obtain their sexual behaviours and their level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The specimens collected for C trachomatis/N gonorrhoeae and human papillomavirus (HPV) were tested using Gen-Probe PACE 2 and HPV-screening assays, respectively. Aproximately sixty-seven per cent of the SWs knew that condoms afforded protection against HIV/AIDS and 62% reported continued use of condoms. Although most of the SWs had heard about HIV/AIDS, thorough knowledge of transmission and prevention was lacking. The overall estimated rates for C trachomatis/N gonorrhoeae and HPV were 18.6% and 9.7%, respectively. There is a need for further studies to generate more data on the prevalence of STDs and the knowledge of STDs in this population.

  16. Molecular Typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates by Opa-Typing and Ribotyping in New Delhi, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pejvak Khaki

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Control and preventive measures for gonococcal infections are based on precise epidemiological characteristics of N. gonorrhoeae isolates. In the present study the potential utility of opa-typing and ribotyping for molecular epidemiological study of consecutive gonococcal strains was determined. Sixty gonococcal isolates were subjected to ribotyping with two restriction enzymes, AvaII and HincII, and opa-typing with TaqI and HpaII for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal population. Ribotyping with AvaII yielded 6 ribotype patterns while twelve RFLP patterns were observed with HincII. Opa-typing of the 60 isolates revealed a total 54 opa-types, which 48 were unique and 6 formed clusters. Fifty-two opa-types were observed with TaqI-digested PCR product while opa-typing with HpaII demonstrated 54 opa-types. The opa-types from isolates that were epidemiologically unrelated were distinct, whereas those from the sexual contacts were identical. The results showed that opa-typing is highly useful for characterizing gonococcal strains from sexual contacts and has more discriminatory than ribotyping that could differentiate between gonococci of the same ribotype. The technique even with a single restriction enzyme has a high level of discrimination (99.9% between epidemiologically unrelated isolates. In conclusion, the molecular methods such as opa-typing and ribotyping can be used for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal strains.

  17. Molecular Typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates by Opa-Typing and Ribotyping in New Delhi, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaki, Pejvak; Bhalla, Preena; Fayaz, Ahmad Mir; Moradi Bidhendi, Sohiela; Esmailzadeh, Majid; Sharma, Pawan

    2009-01-01

    Control and preventive measures for gonococcal infections are based on precise epidemiological characteristics of N. gonorrhoeae isolates. In the present study the potential utility of opa-typing and ribotyping for molecular epidemiological study of consecutive gonococcal strains was determined. Sixty gonococcal isolates were subjected to ribotyping with two restriction enzymes, AvaII and HincII, and opa-typing with TaqI and HpaII for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal population. Ribotyping with AvaII yielded 6 ribotype patterns while twelve RFLP patterns were observed with HincII. Opa-typing of the 60 isolates revealed a total 54 opa-types, which 48 were unique and 6 formed clusters. Fifty-two opa-types were observed with TaqI-digested PCR product while opa-typing with HpaII demonstrated 54 opa-types. The opa-types from isolates that were epidemiologically unrelated were distinct, whereas those from the sexual contacts were identical. The results showed that opa-typing is highly useful for characterizing gonococcal strains from sexual contacts and has more discriminatory than ribotyping that could differentiate between gonococci of the same ribotype. The technique even with a single restriction enzyme has a high level of discrimination (99.9%) between epidemiologically unrelated isolates. In conclusion, the molecular methods such as opa-typing and ribotyping can be used for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal strains. PMID:20016674

  18. ORF Alignment: NC_002946 [GENIUS II[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available se ... [Neisseria gonorrhoeae FA 1090] ... Length = 148 ... Query: 287 VSIRQAHSGDIPHIAALIRPLEEQGVLLHRSREYLENHIS...EFSILEHDGDLYGCAALKTF 346 ... VSIRQAHSGDIPHIAALIRPLEEQGVLLHRSREYLENHIS...EFSILEHDGDLYGCAALKTF Sbjct: 1 ... VSIRQAHSGDIPHIAALIRPLEEQGVLLHRSREYLENHISEFSILEHDGDLYGCAALKTF 60 ... Qu

  19. ORIGINAL ARTICLES

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We prospectively analysed a total of 21baby-mother pairs. ,with culture-proven Neisseria gonorrhoeae treated with a single low dose of ceftriaxone, namely 62.5 mg for babies and 125 mg for mothers respectively. · N. gonorrhoeae was eradicated from all babies' eyes with no residual damage, as well as from the mothers' ...

  20. ORF Alignment: NC_002946 [GENIUS II[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available y: 1 ... MKIGIPRESLSGETRVACTPATVALLGKLGFETVVEXXXXXXXXXXXXXYQTAGATVADK 60 ... MKIGIPRESLSGETRVACTPAT...VALLGKLGFETVVE ... YQTAGATVADK Sbjct: 1 ... MKIGIPRESLSGETRVACTPATVALLGKLGFETVV... ... transhydrogenase, alpha subunit [Neisseria gonorrhoeae ... FA 1090] ... Length = 371 ... Quer

  1. Gonococcal Prosthetic Joint Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gassiep, Ian; Gilpin, Bradley; Douglas, Joel; Siebert, David

    2017-01-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Disseminated gonococcal infection is an infrequent presentation and rarely can be associated with septic arthritis. Incidence of this infection is rising, both internationally and in older age groups. We present the first documented case of N. gonorrhoea prosthetic joint infection which was successfully treated with laparoscopic debridement and antimicrobial therapy.

  2. Diagnóstico precoce e os fatores associados às infecções sexualmente transmissíveis em mulheres atendidas na atenção primária Early diagnosis and correlations of sexually transmitted infections among women in primary care health services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Gianna Luppi

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis (IST em mulheres permanecem um desafio para a Saúde Pública: elevada prevalência, dificuldade para implantação de estratégias de diagnóstico precoce e elevada ocorrência de sequelas. OBJETIVO: Identificar a prevalência de IST em usuárias de um serviço de atenção primária à saúde em São Paulo. MÉTODOS: Mulheres de 18 a 40 anos foram convidadas para realizar autocoleta de secreção vaginal para a detecção de Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae e Trichomonas vaginalis por meio de Reacão em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR. As mulheres também responderam a um questionário com questões demográficas e relativas à história sexual face a face ou autoaplicado por meio de um computador. RESULTADOS: Das 781 mulheres incluídas no estudo, as prevalências obtidas foram: Chlamydia trachomatis (8,4%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (1,9% e Trichomonas vaginalis (3,2%. A positividade para pelo menos uma das três IST foi de 13%. As variáveis associadas independentemente com maior risco de IST foram: idade menor que 20 anos, mais de dois parceiros sexuais na vida e percepção de risco para IST; o uso de preservativo como método contraceptivo foi um fator protetor. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência encontrada em usuárias indica a necessidade da implantação de estratégias de rastreamento de IST em serviços de atenção primária.INTRODUCTION: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs in women remain a public health challenge due to high prevalence, difficulties to implement early diagnosis strategies and high rates of complications. OBJECTIVE: Identify the prevalence of STIs among users of a primary health care clinic in São Paulo. METHODS: Women, 18 to 40 years of age, were invited to self-collect vaginal specimens to be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR. Women were also invited to answer a demographic and

  3. Culture confirmation of gonococcal infection by recall of subjects found to be positive by nucleic acid amplification tests in general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Jens Kjølseth

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate a routine notification of general practitioners to recall nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)-positive subjects for culture of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to confirm gonococcal infection in the community....

  4. [Meningococcal vulvovaginitis in a prepubertal girl].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathanson, M; Tisseron, B; de Pontual, L

    2005-12-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is an uncommon cause of vulvovaginitis in the prepubertal girl. The microorganism must not be mistaken for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, as the consequences of such an error may be serious. Colonization or infection by Neisseria meningitis is not uncommon in adolescents and adults. Vulvitis, even when it is recurrent, is not per se a good indicator of sexual abuse, but some microorganisms found by vaginal swab can make it possible, likely or certain. Sexual transmission of N. meningitidis has not been described in the prepubertal child.

  5. Antibacterial activity of fumaria indica (hausskn.) pugsley against selected bacterial strains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toor, Y.; Nawaz, K.; Hussain, K.

    2015-01-01

    Antibacterial properties of methanolic extracts of F. indica prepared in different doses against seven Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains i.e. Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus (1), Staphylococcus aureus (2), Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli (1), Escherichia coli (2) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using agar well diffusion method (inhibition zone measurements) compared to gentamicin as standard antibiotic. Results showed significant activities against the test organisms with overall satisfactory statistics. Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus strains as well as Neisseria gonorrhoeae showed more inhibition to methanolic extracts of F. indica. Minimum inhibitory as well as minimum bactericidal concentrations against all strains except Shigella sonnei were also recorded. Studies showed promising horizons for the use of F. indica as an active antibacterial component in modern drug formulations. (author)

  6. Travel-associated gonorrhoea in four Nordic countries, 2008 to 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauté, Julien; Cowan, Susan; Hiltunen-Back, Eija; Kløvstad, Hilde; Velicko, Inga; Spiteri, Gianfranco

    2017-05-18

    Travel may be associated with a higher risk of gonorrhoea and infection by antibiotic-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk for gonorrhoea among travellers from four Nordic European countries using surveillance data and to identify at-risk travellers to help target interventions. We retrieved gonorrhoea surveillance data from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden and tourism denominator data from the Statistical Office of the European Union. A travel-associated case of gonorrhoea was defined as one for which the reported country of infection differed from the reporting country. During 2008-2013, the four countries reported 3,224 travel-associated gonorrhoea cases, of which 53% were among individuals below 35 years of age. The overall risk associated with travel abroad was 2.4 cases per million nights abroad. The highest risk was observed with travel to Asia (9.4). Cases more likely to be reported as travel-associated were: males, heterosexuals of both sexes, people older than 65 years, and foreign-born individuals. More effective interventions targeting young adults and other at-risk groups are needed. The use of travel-planning websites and social media should be explored further. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

  7. IgA1 antibodies specific for outer membrane protein PorA modulate the interaction between Neisseria meningitidis and the epithelium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Horton, R. E.; Vidarsson, G.; Virji, M.; Williams, N. A.; Heyderman, R. S.

    2009-01-01

    Despite high carriage rates of Neisseria meningitidis, incidence of meningococcal disease remains low, partially due to development of natural immunity. We have previously demonstrated an inverse relationship between salivary anti-meningococcal IgA and disease incidence, but little is known about

  8. Concordance of gonorrhoea of the rectum, pharynx and urethra in same-sex male partnerships attending a sexual health service in Melbourne, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornelisse, Vincent J; Zhang, Lei; Law, Matthew; Chen, Marcus Y; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Bellhouse, Clare; Fairley, Christopher K; Chow, Eric P F

    2018-02-27

    We aimed to describe anatomic site-specific concordance of gonococcal infections in partnerships of men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from MSM partnerships attending Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between March 2011 and February 2015. Logistic regression models (random effect) were used to examine the association between gonococcal infections of the urethra, rectum and pharynx. Gonococci were detected by culture at all anatomic sites. The analysis included 495 partnerships. Of the men with urethral gonorrhoea, 33% (95% CI 18-52) had partners with pharyngeal gonorrhoea and 67% (95% CI 48-82) had partners with rectal gonorrhoea. The adjusted odds of having urethral gonorrhoea was 4.6 (95% CI 1.2-17.1) for a man whose partner had pharyngeal gonorrhoea, and 48.1 (95% CI 18.3-126.7) for a man whose partner had rectal gonorrhoea. Of the men with rectal gonorrhoea, 46% (95% CI 31-61) had a partner with urethral gonorrhoea and 23% (95% CI 12-37) had a partner with pharyngeal gonorrhoea. The adjusted odds of having rectal gonorrhoea was 63.9 (95% CI 24.7-165.6) for a man whose partner had urethral gonorrhoea. Of the men with pharyngeal gonorrhoea, 42% (95% CI 23-63) had a partner with rectal gonorrhoea and 23% (95% CI 9-44) had a partner with had a partner with pharyngeal gonorrhoea. The adjusted odds of having pharyngeal gonorrhoea was 8.9 (95% CI 3.2-24.6) for a man whose partner had rectal gonorrhoea. The crude odds of having pharyngeal gonorrhoea was 14.2 (95% CI 5.1-39.0) for a man whose partner had pharyngeal gonorrhoea. These data provide the first estimates of concordance of anatomic site-specific gonococcal infections in MSM partnerships, and confirm that urethral gonorrhoea is contracted from both rectal and pharyngeal sites, and suggest that gonococci transmit between the rectum and pharynx. However, due to use of culture rather than NAAT, our analysis was not adequately powered to assess pharynx

  9. Gonorrhea Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Links Patient Resources For Health Professionals Subscribe Search Gonorrhea Testing Send Us Your Feedback Choose Topic At ... Sources Ask Us Also Known As GC Test Gonorrhea NAAT or NAT Neisseria gonorrhoeae Nucleic Acid Amplification ...

  10. Leading Antimicrobial Drug-Resistant Diseases | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... severe infections. Neisseria gonorrhoeae The bacterium that causes gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection and the second ... it disproportionately affects sexual, racial, and ethnic minorities. Gonorrhea control relies on prompt identification and treatment of ...

  11. Urethritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... urethritis. Organisms—such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae , which causes gonorrhea —can spread to the urethra during sexual intercourse ... Sometimes people have no symptoms. In men, when gonorrhea or chlamydia is the cause, there is usually ...

  12. Riboregulation in Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huis in 't Veld, R.A.G.

    2017-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis (the meningococcus) is primarily a commensal of the human oropharynx that sporadically causes septicemia and meningitis. Meningococci adapt to diverse local host conditions that differ in nutrient supply such as the nasopharynx, blood and cerebrospinal fluid by changing

  13. Prevalence of vulvovaginitis and relation to physical findings in girls assessed for suspected child sexual abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Gisel; Ocampo, Dolores; Rubinstein, Anahí; Risso, Paula

    2015-10-01

    The presence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in patients with suspected sexual abuse is uncommon in the field of pediatrics. To establish the prevalence of anogenital findings and their relation to the presence of STIs in girls referred for suspected child sexual abuse. Retrospective study conducted between January 1st, 2003 and December 31st, 2013. Physical findings and detection of STIs in girls with suspected child sexual abuse were analyzed. One thousand thirty-four patients were included. Their median age was 7.9 years old. Anogenital findings were classified as class I (normal):38.4%, class II (nonspecific):38.1%, class III (specific):19.9% and class IV (definitive):3.6%. STIs were observed in 42 patients (4.1%). A relation was established between STIs and the classification of physical findings: 10 (class II: 9; class III: 1) Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 17 (class I: 2; class II: 8; class III: 7) Chlamydia trachomatis, 15 (class I: 2; class II: 10; class III: 3) Trichomonas vaginalis. Statistically significant differences for Trichomonas vaginalis (p= 0.01) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (p < 0.0001) were observed, with predominance of nonspecific clinical signs. Both nonspecific and specific findings were similarly observed for Chlamydia trachomatis (p= 0.03). Most cases of girls with suspected child sexual abuse had normal or nonspecific anogenital findings. The prevalence of STIs in these girls is low. Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae were related to nonspecific findings, while both nonspecific and specific findings were observed for Chlamydia trachomatis.

  14. Prevalence of Asymptomatic Genital Infection among Pregnant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Candida albicans (65%), Staphylococcus aureus (51.8%) and Enterobacteriacae (E. coli and Klebsiella species) were predominantly isolated, followed by Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoea. Most of the bacterial isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cotrimoxazole, norfloxacin and augmentin ...

  15. Failure of azithromycin 2.0 g in the treatment of gonococcal urethritis caused by high-level resistance in California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gose, Severin O; Soge, Olusegun O; Beebe, James L; Nguyen, Duylinh; Stoltey, Juliet E; Bauer, Heidi M

    2015-05-01

    We report a treatment failure to azithromycin 2.0 g caused by a urethral Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolate with high-level azithromycin resistance in California. This report describes the epidemiological case investigation and phenotypic and genetic characterization of the treatment failure isolate.

  16. Persistence after treatment of pharyngeal gonococcal infections in patients of the STI clinic, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2012-2015: a retrospective cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hananta, I. Putu Yuda; de Vries, Henry John Christiaan; van Dam, Alje P.; van Rooijen, Martijn Sebastiaan; Soebono, Hardyanto; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten Franciscus

    2017-01-01

    Infection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the pharynx (pharyngeal Ng) is associated with gonococcal transmission and development of antimicrobial resistance. We assessed proportion of and determinants for persistence after treatment of pharyngeal Ng. At the STI clinic of Amsterdam, the Netherlands,

  17. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mr Olusoji

    Significanl numbers of users arc harbouring Trichomonas vaginalis ... transmilled infections, restore and tightcn thc vagina acquisition, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and cervical cancer.~'. Currt'sp",,,lenc,,: Dr AA Kul/imo .... Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoea (56, 7 %), Trichomonas.

  18. The performance of the vaginal discharge syndromic management in treating vaginal and cervical infection : A systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zemouri, C.; Wi, T.E.; Kiarie, J.; Seuc, A.; Mogasale, V.; Latif, A.; Broutet, N.

    2016-01-01

    Background This review aimed to synthesize and analyze the diagnostic accuracy and the likelihood of providing correct treatment of the syndromic approach Vaginal Discharge Flowchart in managing cervical infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and vaginal

  19. Exploring the Benefits of Molecular Testing for Gonorrhoea Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Remote Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, Ben B; Ryder, Nathan; Su, Jiunn-Yih; Ward, James; Chen, Marcus Y; Donovan, Basil; Fairley, Christopher K; Guy, Rebecca J; Lahra, Monica M; Law, Mathew G; Whiley, David M; Regan, David G

    2015-01-01

    Surveillance for gonorrhoea antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is compromised by a move away from culture-based testing in favour of more convenient nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) tests. We assessed the potential benefit of a molecular resistance test in terms of the timeliness of detection of gonorrhoea AMR. An individual-based mathematical model was developed to describe the transmission of gonorrhoea in a remote Indigenous population in Australia. We estimated the impact of the molecular test on the time delay between first importation and the first confirmation that the prevalence of gonorrhoea AMR (resistance proportion) has breached the WHO-recommended 5% threshold (when a change in antibiotic should occur). In the remote setting evaluated in this study, the model predicts that when culture is the only available means of testing for AMR, the breach will only be detected when the actual prevalence of AMR in the population has already reached 8 - 18%, with an associated delay of ~43 - 69 months between first importation and detection. With the addition of a molecular resistance test, the number of samples for which AMR can be determined increases facilitating earlier detection at a lower resistance proportion. For the best case scenario, where AMR can be determined for all diagnostic samples, the alert would be triggered at least 8 months earlier than using culture alone and the resistance proportion will have only slightly exceeded the 5% notification threshold. Molecular tests have the potential to provide more timely warning of the emergence of gonorrhoea AMR. This in turn will facilitate earlier treatment switching and more targeted treatment, which has the potential to reduce the population impact of gonorrhoea AMR.

  20. Exploring the Benefits of Molecular Testing for Gonorrhoea Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Remote Settings.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben B Hui

    Full Text Available Surveillance for gonorrhoea antimicrobial resistance (AMR is compromised by a move away from culture-based testing in favour of more convenient nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT tests. We assessed the potential benefit of a molecular resistance test in terms of the timeliness of detection of gonorrhoea AMR.An individual-based mathematical model was developed to describe the transmission of gonorrhoea in a remote Indigenous population in Australia. We estimated the impact of the molecular test on the time delay between first importation and the first confirmation that the prevalence of gonorrhoea AMR (resistance proportion has breached the WHO-recommended 5% threshold (when a change in antibiotic should occur. In the remote setting evaluated in this study, the model predicts that when culture is the only available means of testing for AMR, the breach will only be detected when the actual prevalence of AMR in the population has already reached 8 - 18%, with an associated delay of ~43 - 69 months between first importation and detection. With the addition of a molecular resistance test, the number of samples for which AMR can be determined increases facilitating earlier detection at a lower resistance proportion. For the best case scenario, where AMR can be determined for all diagnostic samples, the alert would be triggered at least 8 months earlier than using culture alone and the resistance proportion will have only slightly exceeded the 5% notification threshold.Molecular tests have the potential to provide more timely warning of the emergence of gonorrhoea AMR. This in turn will facilitate earlier treatment switching and more targeted treatment, which has the potential to reduce the population impact of gonorrhoea AMR.

  1. Ervaringen met een solid phase enzyme immunoassay voor het aantonen van gonorroe bij promiscue vrouwen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ulsen; J.van*; Michel; M.F.*; Strik; R.van*; Joost; T.H.van*; Stolz; E.*; Eijk; R.V.W.van

    1985-01-01

    De Gonozyme test (Abbott Laboratories), een nieuwe enzyme immunoassay (EIA) voor het aantonen van Neisseria gonorrhoeae werd geevalueerd in een grote groep promiscue vrouwen. Als de EIA werd uitgevoerd met materiaal afkomstig van de cervix, bedroeg de prevalentie van gonorroe 8,2%. Vergeleken

  2. Guidelines for the Management of Suspected Microbial Keratitis in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Siegal_D

    Suppurative Corneal ulcer occurs following invasion of the cornea by pathogenic bacteria capable of penetrating intact epithelium such as corynebacterium Diphtheriae,. Neisseria Gonorrhoeae and H. influenzae. Non surgical trauma is the commonest factor predisposing the cornea to infection with less virulent organisms ...

  3. In Vitro Activity of Ertapenem versus Ceftriaxone against Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates with Highly Diverse Ceftriaxone MIC Values and Effects of Ceftriaxone Resistance Determinants: Ertapenem for Treatment of Gonorrhea?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golparian, Daniel; Limnios, Athena; Whiley, David; Ohnishi, Makoto; Lahra, Monica M.; Tapsall, John W.

    2012-01-01

    Clinical resistance to the currently recommended extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), the last remaining treatment options for gonorrhea, is being reported. Gonorrhea may become untreatable, and new treatment options are crucial. We investigated the in vitro activity of ertapenem, relative to ceftriaxone, against N. gonorrhoeae isolates and the effects of ESC resistance determinants on ertapenem. MICs were determined using agar dilution technique or Etest for international reference strains (n = 17) and clinical N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 257), which included the two extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains H041 and F89 and additional isolates with high ESC MICs, clinical ESC resistance, and other types of clinical high-level and multidrug resistance (MDR). Genetic resistance determinants for ESCs (penA, mtrR, and penB) were sequenced. In general, the MICs of ertapenem (MIC50 = 0.032 μg/ml; MIC90 = 0.064 μg/ml) paralleled those of ceftriaxone (MIC50 = 0.032 μg/ml; MIC90 = 0.125 μg/ml). The ESC resistance determinants mainly increased the ertapenem MIC and ceftriaxone MIC at similar levels. However, the MIC ranges for ertapenem (0.002 to 0.125 μg/ml) and ceftriaxone (gonorrhea, particularly for the currently identified ESC-resistant cases and possibly in a dual antimicrobial therapy regimen. However, further knowledge regarding the genetic determinants (and their evolution) conferring resistance to both antimicrobials, and clear correlates between genetic and phenotypic laboratory parameters and clinical treatment outcomes, is essential. PMID:22547617

  4. Microbial Pathogens Implicated in Reproductive Health Infections in a Special Treatment Clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adenike Ogunshe

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The lack of adequate recognition of health importance of non-HIV reproductive health infections (RHIs in Nigeria has led into this study, which was to determine clinical pathogens in non-HIV RHI in Nigeria using a tertiary health facility as case study.Materials and Methods: A nine-year investigation was carried out between 1997 and 2005 on 4047 (n = 1626 males; n = 2421 females patients presenting at Special Treatment Clinic (STC of University College Hospital (UCH Ibadan, Nigeria. Routine laboratory procedures using appropriate culture media, culture conditions, and current phenotypic taxonomic tools for classification of isolated pathogens were employed.Results: Age (p = 0.019 and gender (p<0.0001 were related to the recovery rates of pathogens Candida species (55.6 %, Neisseria gonorrhoae (11.1%, Gardenella vaginalis (10.3%, Escherichia coli (9.2 %, Klebsiella sp. (4.2%, streptococci (4.0%, Staphylococcus aureus (2.3%, Proteus sp., (1.8%, Haemophilus ducreyi (0.5%, Trichomonas vaginalis (0.44% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (0.18%. Candida and Gardenella vaginalis species were mostly recovered from female patients, while N.gonorrhoeae were mostly isolated from male patients. Age brackets for the recovery of pathogens were Neisseria gonorrhoeae (16-30 years; Gardenella vaginalis (21-25 and 31-35 years and C.albicans (21-30 years.Conclusion: Candida, Neisseria gonorrhoea and Gadrenella vaginalis were the most recovered pathogens from patients presenting at Special Treatment Clinic of a tertiary health institution in Nigeria, and the relationship between age, gender and the aetiological agents was statistically significant.

  5. Reverse genetic approaches in plants and yeast suggest a role for novel, evolutionary conserved, selenoprotein-related genes in oxidative stress defense.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodrigo, M.; Moskovitz, M-J.; Salamini, J.F.; Bartels, D.M.E.

    2002-01-01

    Oxidation of methionine residues during periods of oxidative stress can lead to loss of protein function. Organisms have developed defense strategies to minimize such damage. The PilB protein, which is involved in pilus formation in the pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is composed of three functional

  6. ORIGINAL ARTICLE

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Zaria with urethritis and cervicitis were screened for their susceptibility pattems against eight antibiotics, using the agar diffusion plate method. Antibiotic susceptibility testing. Pure Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were screened against eight antibiotics made up of: penicillin G. (2.4meg), ampicillin (10 meg), tetracycline (10.

  7. Assessment of antibacterial activity of crude leaf and root extracts of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... whether crude leaf and root extracts of Cassia alata (Caesalpiniaceae) have antimicrobial activity against clinically resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria. To determine and compare the MICs of their ether and methanol extracts. Materials and methods: Ether and methanol extracts were prepared from the plant parts.

  8. Disease: H00315 [KEGG MEDICUS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available the strict human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It remains a major public health concern and multidrug-resistant forms of gonorrhea...ORS ... Campos-Outcalt D ... TITLE ... CDC update on gonorrhea: expand treatment to limit resistance. ... JOURNAL ... J Fam Pract 60:736-40 (2011) ...

  9. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in women attending ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and syphilis in pregnant women. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women attending antenatal care clinics (ANCs). Blood samples were tested for syphilis using the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and

  10. Biased distribution of DNA uptake sequences towards genome maintenance genes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, T.; Rodland, E.A.; Lagesen, K.

    2004-01-01

    Repeated sequence signatures are characteristic features of all genomic DNA. We have made a rigorous search for repeat genomic sequences in the human pathogens Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae and found that by far the most frequent 9-10mers residing within...... in these organisms. Pasteurella multocida also displayed high frequencies of a putative DUS identical to that previously identified in H. influenzae and with a skewed distribution towards genome maintenance genes, indicating that this bacterium might be transformation competent under certain conditions....

  11. Increase of Neisseria meningitidis W:cc11 invasive disease in Chile has no correlation with carriage in adolescents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulina S Rubilar

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis is a human exclusive pathogen that can lead to invasive meningococcal disease or may be carried in the upper respiratory tract without symptoms. The relationship between carriage and disease remains poorly understood but it is widely accepted that decreasing carriage by immunization should lead to a reduction of invasive cases. Latin America has experienced an increased incidence of serogroup W invasive cases of Neisseria meningitidis in the last decade. Specifically in Chile, despite low total incidence of invasive cases, serogroup W has become predominant since 2011 and has been associated with elevated mortality. Expecting to gain insight into the epidemiology of this disease, this study has used molecular typing schemes to compare Neisseria meningitidis isolates causing invasive disease with those isolates collected from adolescent carriers during the same period in Chile. A lower carriage of the serogroup W clonal complex ST-11/ET37 than expected was found; whereas, the same clonal complex accounted for 66% of total invasive meningococcal disease cases in the country that year. A high diversity of PorA variable regions and fHbp peptides was also ascertained in the carrier isolates compared to the invasive ones. According to the results shown here, the elevated number of serogroup W invasive cases in our country cannot be explained by a rise of carriage of pathogenic isolates. Overall, this study supports the idea that some strains, as W:cc11 found in Chile, possess an enhanced virulence to invade the host. Notwithstanding hypervirulence, this strain has not caused an epidemic in Chile. Finally, as genetic transfer occurs often, close surveillance of Neisseria meningitidis strains causing disease, and particularly hypervirulent W:cc11, should be kept as a priority in our country, in order to prepare the best response to face genetic changes that could lead to enhanced fitness of this pathogen.

  12. 21 CFR 866.3290 - Gonococcal antibody test (GAT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Gonococcal antibody test (GAT). 866.3290 Section... antibody test (GAT). (a) Identification. A gonococcal antibody test (GAT) is an in vitro device that..., indirect fluorescent antibody, or radioimmunoassay, antibodies to Neisseria gonorrhoeae in sera of...

  13. The sensitivity of a syndromic management approach in detecting ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this setting, the Western Cape syndromic diagnostic procedure achieved reasonable levels of sensitivity in detecting Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachornatis ID men and women, and in detecting Trichomonas vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis ID women. However, it was estimated to be only 36.4% sensitive in ...

  14. Author Details

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Changes in Escherichia coli resistance to co-trimoxazole in tuberculosis patients and in relation to co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in Thyolo, Malawi Abstract PDF · Vol 15, No 1 (2003) - Articles Behavioural characteristics, prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and antibiotic susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoea in men with ...

  15. Deteccion de Chlamydia trachomatis en muestras uretrales mediante inmunofluorescencia directa Detecção de Chlamydia trachomatis em amostras uretrais mediante imunofluorescência direta Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urethral samples by means of direct immunofluorescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Myra Wilson Schuster

    1989-12-01

    Full Text Available Se estudiaron 82 pacientes con uretritis para la búsqueda de Chlamydia trachomatis mediante inmunofluorescencia directa, Neisscria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplastna y Ureaplasma mediante métodos estándar. Se encontró un 19,5% de Chlamydia trachomatis y en 11 de ellos (68,8% se encontró asociada a otras bacterias y estos pacientes presentó una secreción escasa-gelatinosa.Em 82 doentes com uretrite foi pesquisada a presença de Chlamydia trachomatis, utilizando a prova da imunofluorescência direta, e de Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma e Ureaplasma, utilizando os métodos padrões. Ch. trachomatis foi encontrada em 19,5% dos casos, sendo que em 11 deles (68,8% observou-se associação entre Chlamydia e as outras bactérias pesquisadas. Nesses pacientes observou-se presença de secreção uretral escassa e de aspecto gelatinoso.The presence of Chlamydia trachomatis was studied by the direct immunofluorescence test, as also was that of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma by the standard methods, in 82 patients with urethral discharge. Ch. trachomatis was found in 19.5% (16 of the cases and in 11 of them (68.8% there was association with the other bacteria investigated. This eleven patients presented a scanty gelatinous discharge.

  16. Hospitalisations for pelvic inflammatory disease temporally related to a diagnosis of Chlamydia or gonorrhoea: a retrospective cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne Reekie

    Full Text Available The presence and severity of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID symptoms are thought to vary by microbiological etiology but there is limited empirical evidence. We sought to estimate and compare the rates of hospitalisation for PID temporally related to diagnoses of gonorrhoea and chlamydia.All women, aged 15-45 years in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW, with a diagnosis of chlamydia or gonorrhoea between 01/07/2000 and 31/12/2008 were followed by record linkage for up to one year after their chlamydia or gonorrhoea diagnosis for hospitalisations for PID. Standardised incidence ratios compared the incidence of PID hospitalisations to the age-equivalent NSW population.A total of 38,193 women had a chlamydia diagnosis, of which 483 were hospitalised for PID; incidence rate (IR 13.9 per 1000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU (95%CI 12.6-15.1. In contrast, 1015 had a gonorrhoea diagnosis, of which 45 were hospitalised for PID (IR 50.8 per 1000 PYFU, 95%CI 36.0-65.6. The annual incidence of PID hospitalisation temporally related to a chlamydia or gonorrhoea diagnosis was 27.0 (95%CI 24.4-29.8 and 96.6 (95%CI 64.7-138.8 times greater, respectively, than the age-equivalent NSW female population. Younger age, socio-economic disadvantage, having a diagnosis prior to 2005 and having a prior birth were also associated with being hospitalised for PID.Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are both associated with large increases in the risk of PID hospitalisation. Our data suggest the risk of PID hospitalisation is much higher for gonorrhoea than chlamydia; however, further research is needed to confirm this finding.

  17. Detección de cepas de Neisseria meningitidis resistentes a rifampicina en el Uruguay Detection of rifampicin-resistant strains of Neisseria meningitidis in Uruguay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Pérez Giffoni

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizar fenotípica y genotípicamente dos aislamientos de Neisseria meningitidis resistentes a rifampicina relacionados con dos eventos independientes de transmisión de enfermedad meningocócica grave que se presentaron en septiembre y octubre de 2010 en Montevideo, Uruguay. Se revisó también la base de datos de la vigilancia nacional de resistencia a los antimicrobianos de los últimos 10 años, para estimar la frecuencia de la particularidad de los meningococos caracterizados. La resistencia a rifampicina se estudió por el método epsilométrico. El serotipo y serosubtipo de los aislamientos se determinaron por ELISA y la caracterización genotípica se realizó por digestión del ADN con NheI y electroforesis en gel con campo pulsátil. Ambos aislamientos eran idénticos, B:2a:P1.5, y su fenotipo no figuraba en la colección de 408 cepas de N. meningitidis aisladas en el Uruguay en los últimos 10 años, con la excepción de dos aislamientos sensibles a rifampicina. Los dos aislamientos estudiados también compartían un pulsotipo único, diferente del de otros dos aislamientos resistentes a rifampicina obtenidos en 2003 y 2007. Por lo tanto, ambos eventos de transmisión fueron causados por una única cepa resistente a rifampicina, que podría haberse introducido al país desde otras regiones o haberse originado por un cambio del serogrupo C al B, como producto de la presión selectiva ejercida por vacunas administradas a la población. Es necesario mantener y extremar la vigilancia. No obstante, en vista de que hasta el momento este tipo de hallazgo ha sido esporádico, no se justifica cambiar el fármaco antimicrobiano que se administra a los contactos para la profilaxis, a menos que se identifique un caso secundario.The objective of this study was to characterize the phenotype and genotype of two isolates of rifampicin-resistant Neisseria meningitidis associated with two independent events

  18. Antigonorrhoeal activity of plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cáceres, A; Menéndez, H; Méndez, E; Cohobón, E; Samayoa, B E; Jauregui, E; Peralta, E; Carrillo, G

    1995-10-01

    Plants popularly used in Guatemala for the treatment of gonorrhoea were macerated in 50% alcohol and the tincture tested for in vitro activity against Neisseria gonorrhoeae using strains isolated from symptomatic patients and confirmed by standard bacteriological procedures. From 46 plants investigated, 13 (28.3%) showed evident inhibition zones (> 9 mm), seven (15.2%) showed small activity (6.1-8.9 mm) and 26 (56.5%) showed no activity; nine of these plants inhibited five strains of N. gonorrhoea freshly isolated. The most active plants of American origin were: bark of Bixa orellana fruits of Parmentiera edulis, leaf of Diphysa robinioides, Eupatorium odoratum, Gliricidia sepium, Physalis angulata, Piper aduncum and Prosopis juliflora, root of Casimiroa edulis, and whole Clematis dioica.

  19. Respuesta inmune intratecal y características clínicas de la meningoencefalitis por Neisseria meningitidis en pacientes inmunizados con la vacuna cubana VA-MENGOC-BC®

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Noris-García

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available La morbimortalidad por la enfermedad meningocócica en Cuba disminuyó notablemente después de la introducción de la vacuna VA-MENGOC-BC®. Sin embargo, años después de ser vacunados se han reportado algunos niños que enfermaron. En este trabajo nos propusimos describir el comportamiento neuroinmunológico y clínico de esta enfermedad en 12 pacientes vacunados que fueron ingresados en el Hospital Pediátrico de San Miguel del Padrón con el diagnóstico de meningoencefalitis producida por Neisseria meningitidis. Se tomaron muestras de forma simultánea de sangre y líquido cefalorraquídeo para la cuantificación de albúmina e inmunoglobulinas mayores por inmunodifusión radial; para el análisis de los resultados se tomó como referencia el registro histórico de los resultados de ocho pacientes no inmunizados que enfermaron antes de incluir esta vacuna en el Esquema Nacional de Vacunación. La respuesta neuroinmunológica y las características clínicas de los pacientes vacunados resultaron diferentes a lo observado previamente en pacientes no vacunados. El grupo vacunado mostró un cuadro menos grave de la enfermedad. El patrón de síntesis intratecal de inmunoglobulinas fue diferente entre los dos grupos. La media de la síntesis intratecal de IgG, IgM e IgA fue significativamente superior en el grupo de los pacientes no vacunados. Este estudio nos permitió concluir que en la muestra estudiada la vacuna modificó la respuesta neuroinmunológica y el cuadro clínico de la enfermedad.

  20. Regulation of HIV receptor expression in cervical epithelial cells by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by the Gram-negative bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition in South African women. HIV infection involves binding of the virus to CD4+ receptors on host cells and subsequent binding to ...

  1. Sexual partner characteristics and incident rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM): a prospective cohort in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadhani, Habib O; Liu, Hongjie; Nowak, Rebecca G; Crowell, Trevor A; Ndomb, Teclaire; Gaydos, Charlotte; Peel, Sheila; Ndembi, Nicaise; Baral, Stefan D; Ake, Julie; Charurat, Man E

    2017-08-01

    STIs including Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) potentiate HIV acquisition and transmission especially among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). We investigated the influence of sexual network composition on incident rectal NG and/or CT infections among Nigerian MSM. TRUST/RV368 is a cohort of MSM recruited using respondent-driven sampling at trusted community centres in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria. MSM respondents (egos) provided STI risk factors and demographic information for up to five of their most recent sexual partners (alters) within their sexual networks. Egos were tested for HIV, NG and CT every 3 months. Log-binomial regression was used to assess associations between alter characteristics and incident NG and/or CT. Between March 2013 and October 2015, 492 MSM were longitudinally screened for STIs, of which 28.0% (n=138) were positive for incident rectal STI (61 NG only, 42 CT only and 35 NG and CT). Among egos, condom use was associated with STIs (half of the time vs never (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 0.5; 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8), always/almost always vs never (aRR 0.7; 95% CI 0.5 to 1.0)). Incident STIs were associated with having a younger alter ≤19 versus 30 years (aRR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.0), HIV infection (aRR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.0) and engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol (aRR 1.4 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7) among regular alters and age ≤19 versus 30 years (aRR 0.3; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.6), HIV infection (aRR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.8) and engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol (aRR 1.2 95% CI 1.0 to 1.4) among casual alters. Given the centrality of sexual partner characteristics as risks for incident STIs among Nigerian MSM, there is a need to move beyond individual interventions and syndromic surveillance and get 'out there' in the STI management. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  2. Journal of Phytomedicine and Therapeutics - Vol 9 (2004)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from urine samples in Zara, Northern Nigeria · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. JO Ehinmidu, RO Bolaji, EEA Adegboye. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jopat.v9i1.48585 ...

  3. Activation of Exogenous Fatty Acids to Acyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Cannot Bypass FabI Inhibition in Neisseria*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jiangwei; Bruhn, David F.; Frank, Matthew W.; Lee, Richard E.; Rock, Charles O.

    2016-01-01

    Neisseria is a Gram-negative pathogen with phospholipids composed of straight chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, the ability to incorporate exogenous fatty acids, and lipopolysaccharides that are not essential. The FabI inhibitor, AFN-1252, was deployed as a chemical biology tool to determine whether Neisseria can bypass the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis by incorporating exogenous fatty acids. Neisseria encodes a functional FabI that was potently inhibited by AFN-1252. AFN-1252 caused a dose-dependent inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in growing Neisseria, a delayed inhibition of growth phenotype, and minimal inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, showing that its mode of action is through inhibiting fatty acid synthesis. Isotopic fatty acid labeling experiments showed that Neisseria encodes the ability to incorporate exogenous fatty acids into its phospholipids by an acyl-acyl carrier protein-dependent pathway. However, AFN-1252 remained an effective antibacterial when Neisseria were supplemented with exogenous fatty acids. These results demonstrate that extracellular fatty acids are activated by an acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase (AasN) and validate type II fatty acid synthesis (FabI) as a therapeutic target against Neisseria. PMID:26567338

  4. Gonococcal attachment to eukaryotic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, J.F.; Lammel, C.J.; Draper, D.L.; Brown, D.A.; Sweet, R.L.; Brooks, G.F.

    1983-01-01

    The attachment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to eukaryotic cells grown in tissue culture was analyzed by use of light and electron microscopy and by labeling of the bacteria with [ 3 H]- and [ 14 C]adenine. Isogenic piliated and nonpiliated N. gonorrhoeae from opaque and transparent colonies were studied. The results of light microscopy studies showed that the gonococci attached to cells of human origin, including Flow 2000, HeLa 229, and HEp 2. Studies using radiolabeled gonococci gave comparable results. Piliated N. gonorrhoeae usually attached in larger numbers than nonpiliated organisms, and those from opaque colonies attached more often than isogenic variants from transparent colonies. Day-to-day variation in rate of attachment was observed. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed the gonococcal attachment to be specific for microvilli of the host cells. It is concluded that more N. gonorrhoeae from opaque colonies, as compared with isogenic variants from transparent colonies, attach to eukaryotic cells grown in tissue culture

  5. Self Test Kit: Rapid Diagnosis of Urogenital Infections in Military Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-09-01

    Page 22 R eferences ............................................................................ P age 23 A ppendices ...external dysuria which is more associated with vulvar or vaginal infection). Acute urethritis is most often due to Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria...gonorrhoeae. The vast majority of lower urinary tract infections in women are cystitis rather than urethritis. Acute , uncomplicated cystitis in young

  6. Author Details

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bolaji, RO. Vol 9 (2004) - Articles Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from urine samples in Zara, Northern Nigeria Abstract PDF. ISSN: 1118-1028. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's ...

  7. Environmental survival of Neisseria meningitidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzeng, Y-L; Martin, L E; Stephens, D S

    2014-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is transmitted through the inhalation of large human respiratory droplets, but the risk from contaminated environmental surfaces is controversial. Compared to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumanni, meningococcal viability after desiccation on plastic, glass or metal surfaces decreased rapidly, but viable meningococci were present for up to 72 h. Encapsulation did not provide an advantage for meningococcal environmental survival on environmental surfaces.

  8. A 15-minute interactive, computerized condom use intervention with biological endpoints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimley, Diane M; Hook, Edward W

    2009-02-01

    Brief face-to-face-behavioral interventions have been shown to be efficacious, but are costly to sustain and to widely disseminate. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 15-minute theory-based behavioral intervention designed to increase condom use and reduce new cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. Participants were randomly assigned via the computer to the intervention or the comparison group stratified by gender and their baseline stage of change (motivational readiness) for using condoms consistently (100%) with their main partners. Behavioral data and biologic specimens for testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis were obtained at baseline and at 6 months post intervention. The intervention was delivered via an audio, multimedia, computerized application that provided individualized interventions to patients based on their responses to assessment items; comparison patients interacted with a 15-minute, computerized, multiple health risk assessment with no intervention. The majority of the sample (N = 430) was black (88%); 54.5% women; with a mean age = 24.5. Assuming all participants who did not return to the clinic at 6 months were not using condoms consistently, 32% of the treatment group versus 23% in the comparison group reported consistent condom use (P = 0.03). The combined Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis incidence declined to 6% in the intervention group versus 13% in the comparison group (P = 0.04). Results from a regression analysis revealed that the only statically significant predictor of sexually transmitted diseases infection at the follow-up was group assignment (OR = 1.91, 95% confidence index = 1.09-3.34; P = 0.043). These findings suggest that brief, interactive, computer-delivered interventions provided at the evaluation visit increase condom use and reduce sexually transmitted diseases without putting additional burden on clinicians or staff.

  9. Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Patients Attending ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Screening test for syphilis was positive in 106(34.2%) subjects, while 5(50.0%) of the 10 serum samples screened for Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies were reactive. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated in 2(4.1%) of males and 7(3.0%) of infected females. Trichomonas vaginalis was observed only in 33(14.1%) females.

  10. Gonococcal Conjunctivitis Despite Successful Treatment of Male Urethritis Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Remco P H; Verweij, Stephan P; McIntyre, James A; Schaftenaar, Erik

    2016-02-01

    We report a case of progressive, cephalosporin-susceptible, Neisseria gonorrhoeae conjunctivitis despite successful treatment of male urethritis syndrome. We hypothesize that conjunctival infection progressed due to insufficient penetration of cefixime and azithromycin and point out that extragenital infection and male urethritis may not be cured simultaneously in settings where the syndromic approach is used.

  11. Prevalence of asymptomatic urethritis by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and associated risk factors among males living with HIV-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Almeida Rosa da Silva

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objectives The increase in HIV transmissibility in non-ulcerative sexually transmitted infection is already well-established. It is estimated that symptomatic carriers of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis have a relative risk of 4.8-fold and 3.6-fold, respectively, for the sexual acquisition of HIV. This type of evaluation for asymptomatic urethritis is necessary to reinforce strategies to combat HIV transmission. This study aims to assess the prevalence of patients with asymptomatic urethritis among men diagnosed with HIV-1 and determine the risk factors associated with this infection. Methods We enrolled a total of 115 male patients aged 18 years or older who have been diagnosed with HIV infection and have no symptoms of urethritis or other sexually transmitted infections and who have been evaluated between May and August 2015 in a follow-up visit at the Immunology Outpatient Clinic of a Brazilian University Hospital. Results Four asymptomatic patients were positive for C. trachomatis and were considered asymptomatic carriers of urethritis. Prevalence was 3.47%. Patients who were positive for C. trachomatis urethritis had a lower mean age (p = 0.015. Conclusion The presence of asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection is a challenge in clinical practice. We recommend that, in outpatient practice, the habit of inquiring on previous sexual behavior to obtain more information about risks and associations with asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection, a routine physical examination and complementary tests to detect STI pathogens should be performed to discard these conditions. The development of rapid tests for this purpose should also be encouraged.

  12. Prevalence of asymptomatic urethritis by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and associated risk factors among males living with HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Guilherme Almeida Rosa da; Motta, Heloisa Loureiro de Sá Neves; Souza, Erik Friedrich Alex de; Cardoso, Pedro Afonso Nogueira Moises; Pilotto, José Henrique; Eyer-Silva, Walter Araujo; Ribeiro, Luiz Cláudio Pereira; Santos, Mônica Soares Dos; Azevedo, Marcelo Costa Velho Mendes de; Pinto, Jorge Francisco da Cunha; Motta, Rogerio Neves; Ferry, Fernando Raphael de Almeida

    2018-03-08

    The increase in HIV transmissibility in non-ulcerative sexually transmitted infection is already well-established. It is estimated that symptomatic carriers of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis have a relative risk of 4.8-fold and 3.6-fold, respectively, for the sexual acquisition of HIV. This type of evaluation for asymptomatic urethritis is necessary to reinforce strategies to combat HIV transmission. This study aims to assess the prevalence of patients with asymptomatic urethritis among men diagnosed with HIV-1 and determine the risk factors associated with this infection. We enrolled a total of 115 male patients aged 18 years or older who have been diagnosed with HIV infection and have no symptoms of urethritis or other sexually transmitted infections and who have been evaluated between May and August 2015 in a follow-up visit at the Immunology Outpatient Clinic of a Brazilian University Hospital. Four asymptomatic patients were positive for C. trachomatis and were considered asymptomatic carriers of urethritis. Prevalence was 3.47%. Patients who were positive for C. trachomatis urethritis had a lower mean age (p = 0.015). The presence of asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection is a challenge in clinical practice. We recommend that, in outpatient practice, the habit of inquiring on previous sexual behavior to obtain more information about risks and associations with asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection, a routine physical examination and complementary tests to detect STI pathogens should be performed to discard these conditions. The development of rapid tests for this purpose should also be encouraged.

  13. The structure of the first representative of Pfam family PF09836 reveals a two-domain organization and suggests involvement in transcriptional regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Debanu; Grishin, Nick V.; Kumar, Abhinav; Carlton, Dennis; Bakolitsa, Constantina; Miller, Mitchell D.; Abdubek, Polat; Astakhova, Tamara; Axelrod, Herbert L.; Burra, Prasad; Chen, Connie; Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Chiu, Michelle; Clayton, Thomas; Deller, Marc C.; Duan, Lian; Ellrott, Kyle; Ernst, Dustin; Farr, Carol L.; Feuerhelm, Julie; Grzechnik, Anna; Grzechnik, Slawomir K.; Grant, Joanna C.; Han, Gye Won; Jaroszewski, Lukasz; Jin, Kevin K.; Johnson, Hope A.; Klock, Heath E.; Knuth, Mark W.; Kozbial, Piotr; Krishna, S. Sri; Marciano, David; McMullan, Daniel; Morse, Andrew T.; Nigoghossian, Edward; Nopakun, Amanda; Okach, Linda; Oommachen, Silvya; Paulsen, Jessica; Puckett, Christina; Reyes, Ron; Rife, Christopher L.; Sefcovic, Natasha; Tien, Henry J.; Trame, Christine B.; Bedem, Henry van den; Weekes, Dana; Wooten, Tiffany; Xu, Qingping; Hodgson, Keith O.; Wooley, John; Elsliger, Marc-André; Deacon, Ashley M.; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A.; Wilson, Ian A.

    2009-01-01

    The crystal structure of the NGO1945 gene product from N. gonorrhoeae (UniProt Q5F5IO) reveals that the N-terminal domain assigned as a domain of unknown function (DUF2063) is likely to bind DNA and that the protein may be involved in transcriptional regulation. Proteins with the DUF2063 domain constitute a new Pfam family, PF09836. The crystal structure of a member of this family, NGO1945 from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has been determined and reveals that the N-terminal DUF2063 domain is likely to be a DNA-binding domain. In conjunction with the rest of the protein, NGO1945 is likely to be involved in transcriptional regulation, which is consistent with genomic neighborhood analysis. Of the 216 currently known proteins that contain a DUF2063 domain, the most significant sequence homologs of NGO1945 (∼40–99% sequence identity) are from various Neisseria and Haemophilus species. As these are important human pathogens, NGO1945 represents an interesting candidate for further exploration via biochemical studies and possible therapeutic intervention

  14. Incidence of repeat testing and diagnoses of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea in swingers, homosexual and heterosexual men and women at two large Dutch STI clinics, 2006-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole H T M; van Rooijen, Martijn S; Hogewoning, Arjan; van Liere, Genevieve A F S; Steenbakkers, Mieke; Hoebe, Christian J P A

    2017-09-01

    Swingers, that is, heterosexuals who as a couple have sex with others, including group sex and bisexual behaviour, are an older-aged risk group for STIs. Here, we report on their repeat testing (reattendance) and STI yield compared with other heterosexuals and men who have sex with men (MSM, homosexual men) at two Dutch STI clinics. Swingers are routinely (since 2006, South Limburg, registration-completeness: 99%) or partially (since 2010, Amsterdam, registration-completeness: 20%) included in the clinic patient registries. Data (retrospective cohort) are analysed to assess incidence (per 100 person-years (PY)) of reattendance and STI ( Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG)) and associated factors calculating HRs. In South Limburg 7714 and in Amsterdam 2070 swinger consultations were identified. Since 2010, swingers' incidence of reattendance was 48-57/100 PY. Incidence was lower in MSM (30-39/100 PY, HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.61, South Limburg; HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96, Amsterdam), heterosexual men (8-14/100 PY, HR 0.16; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.17, South Limburg; HR 0.33; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.36, Amsterdam) and women (13-20/100 PY, HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.61, South Limburg; HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.51, Amsterdam). Swingers' STI incidence at reattendance was 11-12/100 PY. Incidence was similar in heterosexual men (14-15/100 PY; HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.57, South Limburg; HR 1.20; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.59, Amsterdam) and women (12-14/100 PY; HR 1.14; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.49, South Limburg; HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.74 to 1.29, Amsterdam) and higher in MSM (18-22/100 PY; HR 1.59; 95% CI 1.19 to 2.12, South Limburg; HR 1.80; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.37, Amsterdam). Risk factors for STI incidence were partner-notified (contact-tracing), symptoms and previous STI. Swingers' positivity at any clinic attendance was 3-4% for NG (ie, higher than other heterosexuals) and 6-8% for CT (ie, lower than heterosexuals overall but higher than older heterosexuals

  15. Neisserial surface lipoproteins: structure, function and biogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooda, Yogesh; Shin, Hyejin E; Bateman, Thomas J; Moraes, Trevor F

    2017-03-01

    The surface of many Gram-negative bacteria contains lipidated protein molecules referred to as surface lipoproteins or SLPs. SLPs play critical roles in host immune evasion, nutrient acquisition and regulation of the bacterial stress response. The focus of this review is on the SLPs present in Neisseria, a genus of bacteria that colonise the mucosal surfaces of animals. Neisseria contains two pathogens of medical interest, namely Neisseria meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae. Several SLPs have been identified in Neisseria and their study has elucidated key strategies used by these pathogens to survive inside the human body. Herein, we focus on the identification, structure and function of SLPs that have been identified in Neisseria. We also survey the translocation pathways used by these SLPs to reach the cell surface. Specifically, we elaborate on the strategies used by neisserial SLPs to translocate across the outer membrane with an emphasis on Slam, a novel outer membrane protein that has been implicated in SLP biogenesis. Taken together, the study of SLPs in Neisseria illustrates the widespread roles played by this family of proteins in Gram-negative bacteria. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Fournier’s Gangrene in a Heterosexual Man: A Complication of Neisseria meningitidis Urethritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tariq A. Khemees

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A 55-year-old heterosexual male presented to the emergency department with a symptomatology consistent with urethritis and Fournier’s gangrene. Urethral swab and operative tissue cultures were positive for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and an intracellular Gram-negative diplococcus. The latter was initially thought to be Neisseria gonorrhea; however, DNA sequencing technique confirmed it to be Neisseria meningitidis. The patient required three separate surgical debridements to control widespread necrotizing infection. Following documentation of sterile wound healing with appropriate antibiotics, four reconstructive surgeries were necessary to manage the resultant wound defects. To our knowledge, Neisseria meningitidis as a causative organism in Fournier’s gangrene has not been reported in the literature.

  17. Cross-sectional study to evaluate Trichomonas vaginalis positivity in women tested for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, attending genitourinary medicine and primary care clinics in Bristol, South West England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholls, Jane E; Turner, Katy M E; North, Paul; Ferguson, Ralph; May, Margaret T; Gough, Karen; Macleod, John; Muir, Peter; Horner, Patrick J

    2018-03-01

    Highly sensitive, commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for Trichomonas vaginalis have only recently been recommended for use in the UK. While testing for T. vaginalis is routine in symptomatic women attending genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, it is rare in asymptomatic women or those attending primary care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the positivity of T. vaginalis using a commercial NAAT, in symptomatic and asymptomatic women undergoing testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in GUM and primary care settings. Samples from 9186 women undergoing chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing in South West England between May 2013 and Jan 2015 were also tested for T. vaginalis by NAAT alongside existing tests. T. vaginalis positivity using NAAT was as follows: in GUM 4.5% (24/530, symptomatic) and 1.7% (27/1584, asymptomatic); in primary care 2.7% (94/3499, symptomatic) and 1.2% (41/3573, asymptomatic). Multivariable regression found that in GUM older age, black ethnicity and deprivation were independent risk factors for T. vaginalis infection. Older age and deprivation were also risk factors in primary care. Testing women presenting with symptoms in GUM and primary care using TV NAATs is estimated to cost £260 per positive case diagnosed compared with £716 using current microbiological tests. Aptima TV outperforms existing testing methods used to identify T. vaginalis infection in this population. An NAAT should be used when testing for T. vaginalis in women who present for testing with symptoms in primary care and GUM, based on test performance and cost. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  18. Author Details

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Wilson, AJ. Vol 47, No 6 (1973) - Articles A Note on the Use of Reduced Transport Fluid (RTF) for Isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Abstract PDF. ISSN: 0256-95749. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's Partners · Terms and ...

  19. Vertical Transmission of Bacterial Eye Infections, Angola, 2011–2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexandre, Isabel; Martínez, Prudencio; Sanz, Iván; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Ana; Fernandez, Itziar; Pastor, Jose Carlos; Ortiz de Lejarazu, Raúl

    2015-01-01

    To determine transmission rates for neonatal conjunctivitis causative microorganisms in Angola, we analyzed 312 endocervical and 255 conjunctival samples from mothers and newborns, respectively, during 2011–2012. Transmission rates were 50% for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 10.5% for Mycoplasma genitalium. Possible pathogenic effects of M. genitalium in children’s eyes are unknown. PMID:25695394

  20. Neisseria meningitidis Infecting a Prosthetic Knee Joint: A New Case of an Unusual Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berta Becerril Carral

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary meningococcal meningitis is an infrequent but known disease. However, the infection of a prosthetic joint with Neisseria meningitidis is rare. We hereby describe the second case of an arthroplasty infected with Neisseria meningitidis that responded favourably to prosthesis retention with surgical debridement, in combination with antibiotics treatment.

  1. Adjuvantes:Un componente esencial de las vacunas de Neisseria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinaldo Acevedo

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Adjuvants may be classified into delivery systems and immune potentiator or modulator molecules based on their mechanism of action. Neisseria vaccines containing traditional adjuvants such as aluminium salts have existed for long time, but meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups, particularly serogroup B, continues to be a global health problem. Novel strategies have applied in silico and recombinant technologies to develop "universal" antigens (e.g. proteins, peptides and plasmid DNA for vaccines, but these antigens have been shown to be poorly immunogenic even when alum adjuvanted, implying a need for better vaccine design. In this work we review the use of natural, detoxified, or synthetic molecules in combination with antigens to activate the innate immune system and to modulate the adaptive immune responses. In the main, antigenic and imune potentiator signals are delivered using nano-, micro-particles, alum, or emulsions. The importance of interaction between adjuvants and antigens to activate and target dendritic cells, the bridge between the innate and adaptive immune systems, will be discussed. In addition, nasal vaccine strategies based on the development of mucosal adjuvants and Neisseria derivatives to eliminate the pathogen at the site of infection provide promising adjuvants effective not only against respiratory pathogens, but also against pathogens responsible for enteric and sexually transmitted diseases.

  2. Syphilis, gonorrhoea, leprosy and yaws in the Indonesian Archipelago, 1500-1950

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boomgaard, P.

    2007-01-01

    This paper dexamines the history of sexually transmitted diseases in Southeast Asia and explores the origins of venereal disease, specifically syphilis and gonorrhoea, in the region. The arrival of new diseases that accompanied Europeans from about 1500, is a subject that scholars have largely

  3. Characteristics of gonorrhoea in Kermanshah, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zargooshi, J

    2002-12-01

    To describe the characteristics of gonorrhoea and prostitution in Kermanshah, Iran. From 1997 through 2000, 100 male gonorrhoea patients were followed for a mean of 18 months (range 8-42 months). Diagnosis and follow up were made by a combination of history, physical examination, and the Gram stained smear. 4% of patients became infected by girlfriends, 24% by temporary (sigheh) wives, and 64% by street prostitutes; the remaining 8% denied coitus with sex workers. Of 38 married cases, 31 reported unprotected intercourse with permanent wives while infected, and only four of 38 gave prescribed drugs to their wives. 89% of contacts with prostitutes were unprotected. Most of the prostitutes and professional sigheh wives were practising survival sex. Fear of stigmatization and presumed severe penalties prevented prostitutes from seeking medical care, and 26% of patrons reported self medication. An average 84% of prescriptions of standard therapies failed. 31% of the cases remained refractory to all available therapies. The majority of the prostitutes and sigheh wives in Iran exchange sex for survival. Being uneducated survival sex workers, they accept risky sex behaviours easily. Sigheh wives are an important source of infection. The very high rate of persistent infection despite standard treatments is disturbing. Our ideal is a world in which nobody is obliged to enter commercial sex work. In the meantime, however, there is an urgent need to offer medical care and education to sex workers as needy patients in a safe and unprejudiced environment. Denying the presence of such realities as prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) because of their disagreement with cant claims and official propaganda, does not eradicate the facts but results in catastrophic public health problems.

  4. Genomic Characterization of Urethritis-Associated Neisseria meningitidis Shows that a Wide Range of N. meningitidis Strains Can Cause Urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Kevin C; Unemo, Magnus; Jeverica, Samo; Kirkcaldy, Robert D; Takahashi, Hideyuki; Ohnishi, Makoto; Grad, Yonatan H

    2017-12-01

    Neisseria meningitidis , typically a resident of the oro- or nasopharynx and the causative agent of meningococcal meningitis and meningococcemia, is capable of invading and colonizing the urogenital tract. This can result in urethritis, akin to the syndrome caused by its sister species, N. gonorrhoeae , the etiologic agent of gonorrhea. Recently, meningococcal strains associated with outbreaks of urethritis were reported to share genetic characteristics with the gonococcus, raising the question of the extent to which these strains contain features that promote adaptation to the genitourinary niche, making them gonococcus-like and distinguishing them from other N. meningitidis strains. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 39 diverse N. meningitidis isolates associated with urethritis, collected independently over a decade and across three continents. In particular, we characterized the diversity of the nitrite reductase gene ( aniA ), the factor H-binding protein gene ( fHbp ), and the capsule biosynthetic locus, all of which are loci previously suggested to be associated with urogenital colonization. We observed notable diversity, including frameshift variants, in aniA and fHbp and the presence of intact, disrupted, and absent capsule biosynthetic genes, indicating that urogenital colonization and urethritis caused by N. meningitidis are possible across a range of meningococcal genotypes. Previously identified allelic patterns in urethritis-associated N. meningitidis strains may reflect genetic diversity in the underlying meningococcal population rather than novel adaptation to the urogenital tract. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  5. Violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of sexually transmissible infection rates: the consistent state-level correlation between violent crime and reported sexually transmissible infections in the United States, 1981-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chesson, Harrell W; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Leichliter, Jami S; Aral, Sevgi O

    2013-11-01

    Numerous social determinants of health are associated with violent crime rates and sexually transmissible infection (STI) rates. This report aims to illustrate the potential usefulness of violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of STI rates. For each year from 1981 to 2010, we assessed the strength of the association between the violent crime rate and the gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) rate (number of total reported cases per 100?000) at the state level. Specifically, for each year, we calculated Pearson correlation coefficients (and P-values) between two variables (the violent crime rate and the natural log of the gonorrhoea rate) for all 50 states and Washington, DC. For comparison, we also examined the correlation between gonorrhoea rates, and rates of poverty and unemployment. We repeated the analysis using overall syphilis rates instead of overall gonorrhoea rates. The correlation between gonorrhoea and violent crime was significant at the P<0.001 level for every year from 1981 to 2010. Syphilis rates were also consistently correlated with violent crime rates. In contrast, the P-value for the correlation coefficient exceeded 0.05 in 9 of the 30 years for the association between gonorrhoea and poverty, and in 17 of the 30 years for that between gonorrhoea and unemployment. Because violent crime is associated with many social determinants of STIs and because it is consistently associated with STI rates, violent crime rates can be a useful proxy for the social determinants of health in statistical analyses of STI rates.

  6. A Survey on Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Benin City, Nigeria (Emphasis on gonococcal ophthalmia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enabulele Onaiwu

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum considering its ability to lead to childhood blindness through corneal ulceration and scarification. Eye swabs were obtained from 330 neonates of 1-5 days in the hospitals of study. Of these, 248 yielded growth and six bacterial genera were identified using standard techniques. Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent (60.5% while Neisseria gonorrhoeae accounted for 1.7%. Susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates to four antibiotics were determined using Disk-diffusion tests. Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria gonorrhoeae showed 62.5 and 100% susceptibility to Erythromycin while 66.7% of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella and 62.5% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to Gentamicin. The incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum for the period of study was 8.9 (cases per 1,000 live births. Prevention is through ocular prophylaxis by the application of either 1% silver nitrate ophthalmic solution or 0.5% erythromycin ointment to the neonates? eyes some hours after birth. This would help to preserve vision and reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of childhood blindness.

  7. 21 CFR 866.3390 - Neisseria spp. direct serological test reagents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Serological Reagents § 866.3390... Neisseria spp. directly from clinical specimens. The identification aids in the diagnosis of disease caused...

  8. Identification of a conserved protein involved in anaerobic unsaturated fatty acid synthesis in Neiserria gonorrhoeae: implications for facultative and obligate anaerobes that lack FabA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isabella, Vincent M.; Clark, Virginia L.

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Transcriptome analysis of the facultative anaerobe, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, revealed that many genes of unknown function were induced under anaerobic conditions. Mutation of one such gene, NGO1024, encoding a protein belonging to the 2-nitropropane dioxygenase-like superfamiliy of proteins, was found to result in an inability of gonococci to grow anaerobically. Anaerobic growth of an NG1024 mutant was restored upon supplementation with unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), but not with the saturated fatty acid palmitate. Gonococcal fatty acid profiles confirmed that NGO1024 was involved in UFA synthesis anaerobically, but not aerobically, demonstrating that gonococci contain two distinct pathways for the production of UFAs, with a yet unidentified aerobic mechanism, and an anaerobic mechanism involving NGO1024. Expression of genes involved in classical anaerobic UFA synthesis, fabA, fabM, and fabB, was toxic in gonococci and unable to complement a NGO1024 mutation, suggesting that the chemistry involved in gonococcal anaerobic UFA synthesis is distinct from that of the classical pathway. NGO1024 homologs, which we suggest naming UfaA, form a distinct lineage within the 2-nitropropane dioxygenase-like superfamily, and are found in many facultative and obligate anaerobes that produce UFAs but lack fabA, suggesting that UfaA is part of a widespread pathway involved in UFA synthesis. PMID:21895795

  9. A survey of primary care physician practices in antibiotic prescribing for the treatment of uncomplicated male gonoccocal urethritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The development of resistance to antimicrobial therapy by Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes on-going problems for individual case management of gonorrhoea. Surveillance data about N. gonorrhoeae have indicated an increase in the incidence of gonorrhoea in France in 2006. As a consequence of the development of antibiotic resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, French guidelines excluded fluoroquinolones as a standard treatment for N. gonorrhoeae. Ceftriaxone became the recommended treatment, associated with azithromycin for Clamydia trachomatis infection. Our aim was to describe the practice patterns of general practitioners (GPs) in managing the antibiotic treatment of patients with symptoms suggestive of uncomplicated male urethritis. Methods We developed a clinical vignette describing a man with typical gonococcal urethritis symptoms to elicit questions about antibiotic treatment. We mailed the electronic questionnaire to a random sample of 1000 French GPs belonging to the Sentinelles Network. Results By the end of the survey period, 350 vignettes were received, yielding a response rate of 35%. Sixty-six GPs (20.2%) prescribed the recommended antibiotics for the simultaneous treatment of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis infections, while 132 GPs (40.4%) prescribed only non-recommended antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin in 69 cases (21.1%). General practitioners with less than 10 years in practice showed better compliance to guidelines than those with more years in practice (p urethritis by French GPs, mostly among the subgroup of physicians who have been in practice longer. Educational approaches based on practice feedback need to be developed to improve these deficits in the quality of care. PMID:21592343

  10. A gonococcal homologue of meningococcal γ-glutamyl transpeptidase gene is a new type of bacterial pseudogene that is transcriptionally active but phenotypically silent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Watanabe Haruo

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been speculated that the γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (ggt gene is present only in Neisseria meningitidis and not among related species such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria lactamica, because N. meningitidis is the only bacterium with GGT activity. However, nucleotide sequences highly homologous to the meningococcal ggt gene were found in the genomes of N. gonorrhoeae isolates. Results The gonococcal homologue (ggt gonococcal homologue; ggh was analyzed. The nucleotide sequence of the ggh gene was approximately 95 % identical to that of the meningococcal ggt gene. An open reading frame in the ggh gene was disrupted by an ochre mutation and frameshift mutations induced by a 7-base deletion, but the amino acid sequences deduced from the artificially corrected ggh nucleotide sequences were approximately 97 % identical to that of the meningococcal ggt gene. The analyses of the sequences flanking the ggt and ggh genes revealed that both genes were localized in a common DNA region containing the fbp-ggt (or ggh-glyA-opcA-dedA-abcZ gene cluster. The expression of the ggh RNA could be detected by dot blot, RT-PCR and primer extension analyses. Moreover, the truncated form of ggh-translational product was also found in some of the gonococcal isolates. Conclusion This study has shown that the gonococcal ggh gene is a pseudogene of the meningococcal ggt gene, which can also be designated as Ψggt. The gonococcal ggh (Ψggt gene is the first identified bacterial pseudogene that is transcriptionally active but phenotypically silent.

  11. Gonorrhoea and gonococcal antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks in the WHO European Region, including the independent countries of the former Soviet Union.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unemo, Magnus; Ison, Catherine A; Cole, Michelle; Spiteri, Gianfranco; van de Laar, Marita; Khotenashvili, Lali

    2013-12-01

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has emerged for essentially all antimicrobials following their introduction into clinical practice. During the latest decade, susceptibility to the last remaining options for antimicrobial monotherapy, the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), has markedly decreased internationally and treatment failures with these ESCs have been verified. In response to this developing situation, WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published global and region-specific response plans, respectively. One main component of these action/response plans is to enhance the surveillance of AMR and treatment failures. This paper describes the perspectives from the diverse WHO European Region (53 countries), including the independent countries of the former Soviet Union, regarding gonococcal AMR surveillance networks. The WHO European Region has a high prevalence of resistance to all previously recommended antimicrobials, and most of the first strictly verified treatment failures with cefixime and ceftriaxone were also reported from Europe. In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the European gonococcal antimicrobial surveillance programme (Euro-GASP) funded by the ECDC is running. In 2011, the Euro-GASP included 21/31 (68%) EU/EEA countries, and the programme is further strengthened annually. However, in the non-EU/EEA countries, internationally reported and quality assured gonococcal AMR data are lacking in 87% of the countries and, worryingly, appropriate support for establishment of a GASP is still lacking. Accordingly, national and international support, including political and financial commitment, for gonococcal AMR surveillance in the non-EU/EEA countries of the WHO European Region is essential.

  12. Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A capsular polysaccharide acetyltransferase, methods and compositions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stephens, David S [Stone Mountain, GA; Gudlavalleti, Seshu K [Kensington, MD; Tzeng, Yih-Ling [Atlanta, GA; Datta, Anup K [San Diego, CA; Carlson, Russell W [Athens, GA

    2011-02-08

    Provided are methods for recombinant production of an O-acetyltransferase and methods for acetylating capsular polysaccharides, especially those of a Serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis using the recombinant O-acetyltransferase, and immunogenic compositions comprising the acetylated capsular polysaccharide.

  13. Testing for 'threads' and leucocyte esterase in first-void urine to exclude the diagnosis of non-specific urethritis in asymptomatic men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pallawela, Sanjeeva N S; Sonnex, Christopher; Burdett, Julia; Cooper, Dawn; Nethercott, Katrina; Thomas, Catherina M; Goon, Peter; Webb, Hayley; Carne, Christopher

    2014-07-01

    Recent evidence suggests that asymptomatic nonspecific urethritis (NSU), which is not routinely tested for, is a clinically significant pathology.The aim of this pilot study was to determine if testing for urinary threads, leucocyte esterase (LE) or both in asymptomatic men is a good screening tool for NSU. Of the126 asymptomatic men, 8% met microscopic criteria for the diagnosis of NSU. The positive predictive value for NSU was 71% (95% confidence interval (CI): 29.3-95.5%) and the negative predictive value was 96% (95% CI: 92.8-99.5%). The absence of threads and negative LE makes urethritis highly unlikely, making urinary chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) testing sufficient. Incidental findings of further pathology occurred in 7%.

  14. CEACAM3: ein neuartiger phagozytischer Rezeptor der angeborenen Immunantwort zur Erkennung human-spezifischer Pathogene

    OpenAIRE

    Schmitter, Tim

    2006-01-01

    Eine Infektion durch das ausschließlich human-spezifische Pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae manifestiert sich bei einer symptomatischen Kolonisierung in der sog. Gonorrhö, einer venerischen Erkrankung, die durch akute Inflammation des befallenen Gewebes und durch die massive Infiltration von Granulozyten charakterisiert ist. Die Gonokokken können im Verlauf einer symptomatischen Infektion über ihre OpaCEA-Adhäsine mit CEACAM Proteinen unterschiedlicher Wirtszellen interagieren. In der vorliegend...

  15. Epidemiological markers in Neisseria meningitidis: an estimate of the performance of genotyping vs phenotyping

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weis, N; Lind, I

    1998-01-01

    In order to estimate the performance of genotypic vs phenotypic characterization of Neisseria meningitidis, 2 methods, DNA fingerprinting and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE), were assessed as regards applicability, reproducibility and discriminating capacity. 50 serogroup B and 52 serogro......, and as applied in the study MEE was superior to DNA fingerprinting. Clusters of invasive strains were reliably identified by phenotyping alone, whereas determination of identity of carrier strains and an invasive strain required genotyping.......In order to estimate the performance of genotypic vs phenotypic characterization of Neisseria meningitidis, 2 methods, DNA fingerprinting and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE), were assessed as regards applicability, reproducibility and discriminating capacity. 50 serogroup B and 52 serogroup...... C Neisseria meningitidis strains from 96 patients with meningococcal disease and 22 serogroup C strains from healthy carriers were investigated. Both methods were 100% applicable to meningococcal strains and results of DNA fingerprinting as well as of MEE were reproducible. The number of types...

  16. Working mechanism of immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) protease: cleavage of IgA1 antibody to Neisseria meningitidis PorA requires de novo synthesis of IgA1 Protease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vidarsson, G; Overbeeke, N; Stemerding, AM

    2005-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis secretes a protease that specifically cleaves the hinge region of immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1), releasing the effector (Fc) domain of IgA1 from the antigen binding (Fab) determinants. Theoretically, the remaining Fab fragments can block pathogen receptors or toxins and still...

  17. Working mechanism of immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) protease: cleavage of IgA1 antibody to Neisseria meningitidis PorA requires de novo synthesis of IgA1 Protease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vidarsson, Gestur; Overbeeke, Natasja; Stemerding, Annette M.; van den Dobbelsteen, Germie; van Ulsen, Peter; van der Ley, Peter; Kilian, Mogens; van de Winkel, Jan G. J.

    2005-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis secretes a protease that specifically cleaves the hinge region of immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1), releasing the effector (Fc) domain of IgA1 from the antigen binding (Fab) determinants. Theoretically, the remaining Fab fragments can block pathogen receptors or toxins and still

  18. Improved production process for native outer membrane vesicle vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bas van de Waterbeemd

    Full Text Available An improved detergent-free process has been developed to produce vaccine based on native outer membrane vesicles (NOMV against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. Performance was evaluated with the NonaMen vaccine concept, which provides broad coverage based on nine distinct PorA antigens. Scalable aseptic equipment was implemented, replacing undesirable steps like ultracentrifugation, inactivation with phenol, and the use of preservatives. The resulting process is more consistent and gives a higher yield than published reference processes, enabling NOMV production at commercial scale. Product quality met preliminary specifications for 9 consecutive batches, and an ongoing study confirmed real-time stability up to 12 months after production. As the NOMV had low endotoxic activity and induced high bactericidal titres in mice, they are expected to be safe and effective in humans. The production process is not limited to NonaMen and may be applicable for other N. meningitidis serogroups and other gram-negative pathogens. The current results therefore facilitate the late-stage development and clinical evaluation of NOMV vaccines.

  19. Investigating factors for increased gonorrhoea re-infection in men who have sex with men attending a genitourinary clinic: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, L; Lawrence, D; Soni, S; Llewellyn, C; Dean, G

    2017-08-01

    The number of confirmed cases of gonorrhoea increased by one-third in England from 2013 to 2014 and the incidence increased by 32% in men who have sex with men (MSM). In our clinic, annual incidence increased by 28.8% (2013) and re-infection (second infection within one-year of initial infection) rose from 6.7% as a proportion of total infections (2009) to 19.4% (2013). The aim of this study was to explore reasons for repeat gonorrhoea infections among MSM. We interviewed 16 MSM about knowledge and awareness of gonorrhoea, antibiotic resistance and attitudes towards safe sex. We used qualitative methods to investigate the potential causes for the rise in gonorrhoea re-infection. Mobile applications were used to meet casual sex partners and arrange impromptu group-sex parties with partner anonymity making contact tracing difficult. The use of recreational drugs was widespread. It was suggested that new technologies could also be used to increase awareness of STI trends and services for at-risk individuals. Participants were concerned about global antibiotic resistance, but felt that behaviour would not change unless there was local evidence of this. Despite knowing gonorrhoea prevalence was high, participants felt their behaviour was unlikely to change and frequently felt resigned to repeat infections. The use of geosocial networking applications to arrange sexual encounters may be contributing to a rise in STIs, as well as recreational drugs, alcohol and sex parties. Networking applications could increase awareness and advertise testing opportunities. In some cases, risk-taking behaviours are unlikely to change, and for these men, regular sexual health screens should be encouraged to detect and treat infections earlier and reduce onward spread.

  20. Carriage rate of Neisseria meningitides among pupils of islamic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study was a cross-sectional study that determined the carriage rate of Neisseria meningitides among pupils of Islamic boarding schools (Tsangaya Almajirai) in Kano, Nigeria. Nasal swabs were randomly collected from 150 children aged 5 years to 10 years and above from three selected Tsangaya Almajiri schools in ...

  1. Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in men with urethritis and in high risk asymptomatic males in Tel Aviv: a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottesman, Tamar; Yossepowitch, Orit; Samra, Zmira; Rosenberg, Shoshana; Dan, Michael

    2017-02-01

    We sought to investigate the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis in men presenting to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic, with special attention to M. genitalium, its occurrence in Israeli patients, coinfections, and risk factors. In a cross-sectional study, 259 men were successively enrolled in the Tel Aviv Levinsky Clinic for STIs between November 2008 and November 2010. There were 118 men with urethritis and 141 high-risk men without symptoms. M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis were detected using nucleic acid amplification tests. Demographic characteristics and risk factors were documented. The overall prevalence of infection with M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis, were 6.6%, 12.7%, 23.1%, and 0%, respectively. Prevalences in men with urethritis were 11.9%, 22%, and 49%, for M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. Prevalences in men without symptoms were 2.1%, 5.0%, and 1.4%, for M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. Co-infections were found only in symptomatic individuals, in whom 5.9% were infected concomitantly with C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, and 2.5% had dual infection with M. genitalium and N. gonorrhoeae. N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, and M. genitalium were significantly more prevalent in patients with urethritis. M. genitalium was significantly more prevalent in the heterosexual population than in homosexual males. To conclude, we have found that M. genitalium infection is associated with urethritis in Israeli men, and more so in the heterosexual population. Testing men for M. genitalium as a cause of non-gonococcal urethritis is warranted, particularly because of its poor response to doxycycline and possible failure of azithromycin.

  2. Characterization of a Bacteriocin-Like Substance Produced by a Vaginal Lactobacillus salivarius Strain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocaña, Virginia S.; Pesce de Ruiz Holgado, Aída A.; Nader-Macías, María Elena

    1999-01-01

    A novel bacteriocin-like substance produced by vaginal Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius CRL 1328 with activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was characterized. The highest level of production of this heat-resistant peptide or protein occurred during the late exponential phase. Its mode of action was shown to be bactericidal. L. salivarius subsp. salivarius CRL 1328 could be used for the design of a probiotic to prevent urogenital infections. PMID:10584033

  3. Penicillin sensitivity of gonococci isolated in Australia, 1981-6. Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme.

    OpenAIRE

    1988-01-01

    The sensitivity to penicillin of about 25,000 gonococcal isolates tested in Australia during the five years to 30 June 1986 was assessed in a collaborative multicentric study. Increasing resistance to the penicillin group of antibiotics was observed during the course of this study and was manifested both as increased levels of chromosomally mediated intrinsic resistance and by an increasing incidence of penicillinase producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG). Pronounced regional diffe...

  4. A survey of primary care physician practices in antibiotic prescribing for the treatment of uncomplicated male gonoccocal urethritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blanchon Thierry

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The development of resistance to antimicrobial therapy by Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes on-going problems for individual case management of gonorrhoea. Surveillance data about N. gonorrhoeae have indicated an increase in the incidence of gonorrhoea in France in 2006. As a consequence of the development of antibiotic resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, French guidelines excluded fluoroquinolones as a standard treatment for N. gonorrhoeae. Ceftriaxone became the recommended treatment, associated with azithromycin for Clamydia trachomatis infection. Our aim was to describe the practice patterns of general practitioners (GPs in managing the antibiotic treatment of patients with symptoms suggestive of uncomplicated male urethritis. Methods We developed a clinical vignette describing a man with typical gonococcal urethritis symptoms to elicit questions about antibiotic treatment. We mailed the electronic questionnaire to a random sample of 1000 French GPs belonging to the Sentinelles Network. Results By the end of the survey period, 350 vignettes were received, yielding a response rate of 35%. Sixty-six GPs (20.2% prescribed the recommended antibiotics for the simultaneous treatment of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis infections, while 132 GPs (40.4% prescribed only non-recommended antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin in 69 cases (21.1%. General practitioners with less than 10 years in practice showed better compliance to guidelines than those with more years in practice (p Conclusions The results suggest a mismatch between the guidelines and the antibiotic treatment of male uncomplicated urethritis by French GPs, mostly among the subgroup of physicians who have been in practice longer. Educational approaches based on practice feedback need to be developed to improve these deficits in the quality of care.

  5. Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium and other sexually transmitted infections causing urethritis among high-risk heterosexual male patients in Estonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tjagur, Stanislav; Mändar, Reet; Punab, Margus

    2018-02-01

    We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI, including Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis) among high-risk heterosexual male patients and to clarify their potency to cause complaints and inflammation. The study group included 825 men (18.0-49.5 y) consulting andrologist at Tartu University Hospital (Estonia) due to subjectively perceived risk of STI. Patients completed STI risk behaviour questionnaire. First voided urine was analysed for white blood cells and STIs. In total 193 (23.4%) patients were positive for one or multiple STI. The prevalence of C. trachomatis, M. genitalium, N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis and combined STI was 14.3%, 4.4%, 2.7%, 0.7% and 1.3%, respectively. N. gonorrhoeae had the highest potency to generate inflammatory reaction in first voided urine (100%) followed by C. trachomatis (72.0%), M. genitalium (63.9%) and T. vaginalis (33.3%). N. gonorrhoeae and T. vaginalis caused the highest mean number of complaints while half of T. vaginalis cases and nearly fifth of M. genitalium and C. trachomatis cases were asymptomatic. C. trachomatis has the highest prevalence among Estonian high-risk men but M. genitalium holds an important second place. Prevalence of combined STIs is low. N. gonorrhoeae has the highest potency to generate urethral inflammation followed by C. trachomatis and M. genitalium. The highest number of complaints is also associated with N. gonorrhoeae while half of T. vaginalis cases and nearly a fifth of M. genitalium and C. trachomatis cases are asymptomatic.

  6. Childhood vulvovaginitis: report of two cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Hsiu-Yuan; Wan, Chuan; Tseng, Ching-Chang

    2006-01-01

    Vaginal discharge in young prepubertal girls is a common problem in clinical practice. No specific infective pathogen is identified in most of the children. The reported common microbes include group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae and some Gram-negative bacilli. Sexually transmitted pathogens such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis are important causes of vulvovaginitis in children suffering from sexual abuse. We report two cases of prepubertal vulvovaginitis presenting with profuse purulent vaginal discharge, and H. influenzae and N. gonorrhoeae identified respectively. Both girls denied any sexual exposure and there was no evidence of sexual abuse. They responded well to antibiotic treatment, and no symptoms recurred in the following months. We would like to emphasize the defined etiology of childhood vulvovaginitis and appropriate treatment, in addition to gynecological evaluation for evidence of sexual abuse.

  7. Commentary: Impact of meningococcal group B OMV vaccines, beyond their brief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petousis-Harris, Helen

    2017-10-19

    Meningococcal group B outer membrane vesicle vaccines have been used widely in Cuba, New Zealand, and Brazil. They are immunogenic and initially assessed largely by their ability to induce serum bactericidal activity. Measures of efficacy indicate good protection against homologous strains in older children and adults. Effectiveness appears broader than predicted by immunogenicity and efficacy studies. The recent discovery that meningococcal group B OMVs may protect against the related Neisseria species N.gonorrhoeae suggests more to these interesting antigen collections than meets the eye. Currently there are two OMV-containing group B vaccines available, the new recombinant protein-based Bexsero® developed by Novartis and VA-MENGOC-BC® developed by the Finlay institute in Cuba. Also, a third group B vaccine based on two recombinant factor H binding proteins (Trumenba®, Pfizer), has recently been licenced but it does not include OMV. This commentary explores the population impact that group B OMV vaccines have had on meningococcal and gonorrhoea diseases. Given the heterologous effect against diverse strains of the meningococcus observed in older children and adults, and recent evidence to suggest moderate protection against gonorrhoea, there may be a role for these vaccines in programmes targeting adolescents and groups high at risk for both meningococcal disease and gonorrhoea.

  8. 21 CFR 866.2410 - Culture medium for pathogenic Neisseria spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Culture medium for pathogenic Neisseria spp. 866.2410 Section 866.2410 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Microbiology Devices § 866.2410...

  9. Outbreak of serotype W135 Neisseria meningitidis in central river ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2012-06-21

    Jun 21, 2012 ... program on immunization schedule of the Gambia and other countries within the meningitic epidemic belt. Key words: Neisseria ... The African meningitis belt extends from Ethiopia in the. East, to Senegal in the West within ..... surveillance and management system at the national level for effective control of ...

  10. A More Flexible Lipoprotein Sorting Pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahales, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Lipoprotein biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria occurs by a conserved pathway, each step of which is considered essential. In contrast to this model, LoVullo and colleagues demonstrate that the N-acyl transferase Lnt is not required in Francisella tularensis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This suggests the existence of a more flexible lipoprotein pathway, likely due to a modified Lol transporter complex, and raises the possibility that pathogens may regulate lipoprotein processing to modulate interactions with the host. PMID:25755190

  11. Estandarización de ensayos inmunoenzimáticos (ELISA para la cuantificación de anticuerpos IgG inducidos por una vacuna de vesículas de membrana externa de los serogrupos A y W135 de Neisseria meningitidis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleida Mandiarote

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available La enfermedad meningocócica es una afección invasiva, de amplia incidencia mundial, cuyo agente causal es la bacteria gramnegativa Neisseria meningitidis . Existen vacunas polisacarídicas sin conjugar o conjugadas, contra cuatro de los cinco serogrupos responsables del 95% de los casos en el mundo. Para el serogrupo B, cuyo polisacárido es pobremente inmunogénico, se han evaluado varios candidatos vacunales producidos a base de vesículas de membrana externa. La determinación de la actividad bactericida y la cuantificación de IgG por ELISA han sido los métodos más utilizados en la medición de la respuesta inmune generada por vacunas contra la meningitis meningocócica. El segundo de estos métodos es utilizado en el Instituto Finlay como ensayo de inmunogenicidad para la liberación de lotes de VA-MENGOC-BC®. Como parte de una colaboración con investigadores noruegos, se trabaja en la obtención de un candidato vacunal contra los serogrupos A y W135 , basado en vesículas de membrana externa. En el presente trabajo se describe la estandarización de un ELISA para ser utilizado en la evaluación de la respuesta inmune del candidato vacunal bivalente.

  12. Genome sequence of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strain H44/76

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piet, J. R.; Huis in 't Veld, R. A. G.; van Schaik, B. D. C.; van Kampen, A. H. C.; Baas, F.; van de Beek, D.; Pannekoek, Y.; van der Ende, A.

    2011-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is an obligate human pathogen. While it is a frequent commensal of the upper respiratory tract, in some individuals the bacterium spreads to the bloodstream, causing meningitis and/or sepsis, which are serious conditions with high morbidity and mortality. Here we report the

  13. Neisseria meningitidis endocarditis: a case report and review of the literature.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ali, Mohammed

    2012-02-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults, with an overall mortality rate of up to 25%, but it is a rare cause of infective endocarditis. We present herein a case of N. meningitidis meningitis complicated with infective endocarditis.

  14. The distribution of chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis cases across states and counties in the USA, 2007.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chesson, Harrell W; Sternberg, Maya; Leichliter, Jami S; Aral, Sevgi O

    2010-12-01

    To examine the distribution of chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis in the USA through the use of Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients. The distribution of three sexually transmitted diseases (STD; chlamydia, gonorrhoea and primary and secondary syphilis) was examined across states and counties in the USA in 2007, based on reported case numbers. Gini coefficients, which can range from 0 (equality in STD rates across geographical units) to 1 (complete inequality such that all STD occur in one geographical unit) were calculated. Overall, chlamydia was the most evenly distributed and syphilis was the most concentrated of the three STD examined. The Gini coefficients for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis were 0.121, 0.255 and 0.334, respectively, when examined across states, and 0.319, 0.494 and 0.630, respectively, when examined across counties. Differences in Gini coefficients were observed when the STD distributions were examined by sex, race/ethnicity and age group. The use of Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients can help to assess inequalities in the distribution of STD, to gauge the suitability of geographically targeted interventions, and to help in determining the epidemic phase of STD. Having a better understanding of the disparities in the distribution of STD across states and counties by sex, race/ethnicity and age group might help in understanding why disparities in STD rates exist across different groups and in developing interventions to address these disparities.

  15. Neisseria meningitidis endocarditis: A case report and review of the literature.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ali, Mohammed

    2011-04-08

    Abstract Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults, with an overall mortality rate of up to 25%, but it is a rare cause of infective endocarditis. We present herein a case of N. meningitidis meningitis complicated with infective endocarditis.

  16. The monomeric form of Neisseria DNA mimic protein DMP19 prevents DNA from binding to the histone-like HU protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Tzu-Ping; Liao, Yi-Ting; Hsu, Kai-Cheng

    2017-01-01

    DNA mimicry is a direct and effective strategy by which the mimic competes with DNA for the DNA binding sites on other proteins. Until now, only about a dozen proteins have been shown to function via this strategy, including the DNA mimic protein DMP19 from Neisseria meningitides. We have shown previously that DMP19 dimer prevents the operator DNA from binding to the transcription factor NHTF. Here, we provide new evidence that DMP19 monomer can also interact with the Neisseria nucleoid-associated protein HU. Using BS3 crosslinking, gel filtration and isothermal titration calorimetry assays, we found that DMP19 uses its monomeric form to interact with the Neisseria HU dimer. Crosslinking conjugated mass spectrometry was used to investigate the binding mode of DMP19 monomer and HU dimer. Finally, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed that the DNA binding affinity of HU is affected by DMP19. These results showed that DMP19 is bifunctional in the gene regulation of Neisseria through its variable oligomeric forms. PMID:29220372

  17. Infección genital por Chlamydia trachomatis y otros microorganismos en dos grupos de mujeres en Cartagena Frequency of genital infection with chlamydia trachomatis and other microorganisms in two groups of women in Cartagena, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfonso Pulido

    1992-02-01

    Full Text Available Las enfermedades asociadas a la infección por Chlamydia trachomatis y la vaginosis bacteriana son de importancia en la población sexual mente activa, por lo que amerita estudiarlas. Con la finalidad de conocer su frecuencia en Cartagena se estudiaron, entre 1988 y 1990, 431 mujeres que acudieron a la consulta ginecológica del Hospital Universitario de Cartagena o al Centro Venereológico de la misma ciudad (167 pacientes en el primero y 264 en el segundo; su edad promedio era 28 años. Utilizando el inmunoensayo enzimático en fase sólida (ELISA se buscó la C. trachomatis y se hallaron frecuencias de infección de 5.4 y 17.4% en el primero y el segundo grupos, respectivamente; tal diferencia fue significativa (p < 0.005. Mediante exámenes directos y cultivos se demostraron las siguientes frecuencias de infección en las pacientes de consulta ginecológica y en las del Centro Venereológico, en su orden: Gardenerella vaginalis en 33.5% y 39%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae en 0.6 y 2.3%, Trichomonas vaginalis en 5.4 y 4.5%, Candida spp. en 13.2 y 10.2%. No hubo entre estas tasas diferencias significativas. Se observó relación entre la positividad para C. trachomatis y las entidades usualmente asociadas con ella: en las pacientes del Centro Venereológico la frecuencia de cervicitis fue 39% en las infectadas por C. trachomatis y 11.5% en las no Infectadas (p < 0.01; en las de la consulta ginecológica hubo Enfermedad Pélvica inflamatoria en 4 de las 9 Infectadas (44.4% y en sólo 11 de las 158 no infectadas (7% (Prueba de Fisher p = 0.004. El uso de anticonceptivos orales tuvo asociación significativa (p < 0.01 con la infección por Chlamydia en las pacientes del Centro Venereológico pero no en las de la consulta ginecológica; en efecto: 28.8% de las mujeres del Centro que utilizaban estos anticonceptivos y ninguna de las que no recurran a ellos resultaron positivas para esta bacteria. Gardnerella vaginalis fue la bacteria más frecuentemente

  18. A descriptive study of urethral discharge among men in Fiji.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaunavinaka, Lavenia; Balak, Dashika; Varman, Sumanthla; Ram, Sharan; Graham, Stephen M

    2014-10-17

    Urethral discharge is a common presentation of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in men and known pathogens include Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. There are no published data of the burden of urethral discharge among men in Fiji. To evaluate urethral discharge among men to determine the incidence, the frequency of recurrence and reported at-risk behaviour. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study of clinical records of all men presenting with urethral discharge to two major reproductive health clinics. Data collected included self-reported at-risk behaviours, results of abnormal syphilis serology and antibiotics prescribed. The frequency of recurrence in the following 1-2 years of initial presentation was determined along with microbiological findings from urethral swab in this group. A total of 748 males presented with urethral discharge to the clinic in one year. This represents an incidence rate of at least 295 per 100,000 adult males per year in the study population. Within the next 1-2 years of the initial presentation, 102 (14%) of these re-presented out of which 42 had urethral swab taken for etiological diagnosis. The commonest isolate was Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Results of syphilis tests were available for 560 (75%) of patients and 29 (5%) were positive. Recurrence was not associated with self-reported at-risk behaviours. The incidence of urethral discharge among males in Fiji is very high and prevention strategies are urgently needed.

  19. Gonococcal infections in Austria: a long-term observation of prevalence and resistance profiles from 1999 to 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stary, Angelika; Heller-Vitouch, Claudia; Binder, Michael; Geusau, Alexandra; Stary, Georg; Rappersberger, Klemens; Komericki, Peter; Hoepfl, Reinhard; Haller, Maria

    2015-11-01

    The increase in minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of cephalosporins for Neisseria gonorrhoeae has given rise to concerns regarding potentially untreatable gonococcal infections. The goal was to ascertain the prevalence of gonorrhea in a Viennese patient group and determine resistance patterns. Another objective was to evaluate resistance profiles and MIC values of gonococcal isolates in an Austria-wide surveillance project. From 1999 to 2014, 350,000 individuals were tested for gonococci at the Viennese Outpatient Clinic. In addition, from 2010 to 2014, the MICs of recommended antibiotics was determined in 3,584 gonococcal isolates, initially by agar dilution and breakpoint determination, and, from 2012 onwards, by Etest®. During the observation period, the prevalence of gonorrhea increased eightfold, with a significantly greater number of quinolone, penicillin, and tetracycline- resistant strains. In gonococcal strains isolated from across Austria, there was an increase in cefixime and ceftriaxone MICs toward breakpoints. Twenty-one isolates showed cefixime resistance, and while there was an increase in azithromycin resistance from 0.9 % (2013) to 3.2 % (2014), no resistance to ceftriaxone was observed. Currently, there is no imminent risk of untreatable gonorrhea in Austria. However, continuing the use of gonococcal cultures as a diagnostic tool for establishing resistance profiles is essential in order to monitor trends in the development of Neisseria (N.) gonorrhoeae resistance. © 2015 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among HIV-infected women in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Gabriela Álvares Travassos

    Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs and associated risk factors in HIV-infected pregnant women followed for prenatal care in Salvador, Bahia. This was a cross-sectional study of 63 women seeking prenatal care at a reference center. Participants were interviewed regarding socio-epidemiological and clinical history, and were tested for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti HTLV I/II, VDRL, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, CD4 count, and HIV plasma viral load. The main outcome variable was the presence of any STI. The mean age of patients was 28.2 years (16-40 years. 23 (36.5% were diagnosed with at least one STI. The frequency of diagnoses was: HBV, 3.2%; HCV, 8.1%; HTLV I/II, 3.4%; syphilis, 9.5%; Chlamydia trachomatis, 11.1%; HPV, 15.0%; Mycoplasma hominis, 2.1%, and Ureaplasma urealyticum, 2.1%. No case of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was identified. No association was found between socio-epidemiological variables and the presence of an STI. CD4 T lymphocyte 1,000 copies (p = 0.027 were associated with the presence of sti. stis are frequent in pregnant women infected with hiv, and all hiv-infected pregnant women should be screened to decrease transmission of these pathogens and to protect their own health.

  1. Gonorrhoea and Syphilis Epidemiology in Flemish General Practice 2009–2013: Results from a Registry-based Retrospective Cohort Study Compared with Mandatory Notification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christoph Schweikardt

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: The number of newly diagnosed gonorrhoea and syphilis cases has increased in Flanders in recent years. Our aim was to investigate, to which extent these diagnoses were registered by general practitioners (GPs, and to examine opportunities and limits of the Intego database in this regard. Methods: Data from a retrospective cohort study based on the Flemish Intego general practice database was analyzed for the years 2009–2013. Case definitions were applied. Due to small case numbers obtained, cases were pooled and averaged over the observation period. Frequencies were compared with those calculated from figures of mandatory notification. Results: A total of 91 gonorrhoea and 23 syphilis cases were registered. The average Intego annual frequency of gonorrhoea cases obtained was 11.9 (95% Poisson confidence interval (CI 9.6; 14.7 per 100,000 population, and for syphilis 3.0 (CI 1.9; 4.5, respectively, while mandatory notification was calculated at 14.0 (CI: 13.6, 14.4 and 7.0 (CI: 6.7, 7.3, respectively. Conclusion: In spite of limitations such as small numbers and different case definitions, comparison with mandatory notification suggests that the GP was involved in the large majority of gonorrhoea cases, while the majority of new syphilis cases did not come to the knowledge of the GP.

  2. Successful Treatment of Uncomplicated Gonococcal Urethritis in HIV-Infected Patients with Single-Dose Oral Cefpodoxime

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Psevdos

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Fluoroquinolones are no longer recommended for the treatment of gonococcal infections in the United States. Cephalosporins – ceftriaxone and cefixime – are the treatment of choice, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA. There are limited data on the efficacy of cefpodoxime for the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal infections. Two cases of HIV-infected homosexual men who were successfully treated with cefpodoxime for urethritis caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae are described in the present study.

  3. Carriage of Neisseria Species in Communities with Different Rates of Meningococcal Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole Le Saux

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available A single clone, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (C:2a:P1.2, was isolated from seven patients during a cluster of cases of meningococcal disease in Ontario in 1989. To determine whether the clone was present in asymptomatic individuals in the same population, pharyngeal swabs were taken from 7% (644 of 9125 of residents who were vaccinated during the outbreak. Rates of isolation of Neisseria species were also compared to those in two other geographical areas which did not have an elevated incidence of meningococcal disease. The rate of carriage of N meningitidis in the asymptomatic individuals sampled was between 1.9% and 5.4%. The clone isolated from patients was not present among the carrier strains as determined by sero- and subtyping and electrophoretic analysis of metabolic enzymes. Age greater than six years was the only factor associated with colonization with N meningitidis.

  4. Detecting of Mycoplasma genitalium in male patients with urethritis symptoms in Turkey by polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dolapci, Istar; Tekeli, Alper; Ozsan, Murat; Elhan, Atilla; Yaman, Onder; Ergin, Sureyya

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of Mycoplasma genitalium in the urine samples of 63 male patients who had urethritis symptoms. Along with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) and Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis). We also investigated Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) and Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum), both of which are known to cause urethritis. Microorganisms were investigated in urine samples of the patients with polymerase chain reaction. The study was conducted between September 2003 - February 2004 at the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. A total of 63 urine samples were analyzed and 6 (9.52%) patients had N. gonorrhoeae, 4 (6.34%) had C. trachomatis, while 4 (6.34%) urines were positive in terms of M. genitalium. Nevertheless, 3 (4.76%) patients had U. urealyticum and 2 (3.17%) patients had M. hominis. One urine sample was positive in terms of both N. gonorrhoeae and U. urealyticum, and another urine sample was positive in terms of both M. hominis and U. urealyticum. The results were compared with the control group and found no statistically significant difference. Mycoplasma species are found in normal flora of urogenital system and also as an agent of urogenital infection. In our study, we found low microorganism rates when compared with Europe and America. This difference may be due to the conservative sexual behavior in Turkey. (author)

  5. The iron-regulated transcriptome and proteome of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Basler, Marek; Linhartová, Irena; Halada, Petr; Novotná, Jana; Bezoušková, Silvia; Osička, Radim; Weiser, Jaroslav; Vohradský, Jiří; Šebo, Peter

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 23 (2006), s. 6194-6206 ISSN 1615-9853 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA310/04/0804; GA MZe 1G46068 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : iron regulation * Neisseria meningitidis * proteome Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 5.735, year: 2006

  6. Respuesta de anticuerpos inducidos por la vacuna antimeningocócica cubana VA-MENGOC-BC® frente a la cepa de Neisseria meningitidis B:4:P1.19,15 en adolescentes después de 12 años de inmunizados

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María A. Camaraza

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Se estudió la respuesta de anticuerpos inducida por la vacuna antimeningocócica cubana VA-MENGOC-BC® contra la cepa de Neisseria meningitidis B:4:P1.19,15 mediante el Ensayo Bactericida del Suero (EBS y ELISA de tipo indirecto, para medir anticuerpos contra vesículas de membrana externa (VME de N. meningitidis B a 184 adolescentes de un politécnico de Ciego de Ávila que fueron inmunizados en campañas masivas 12 años antes. Se realizaron extracciones de sangre antes de aplicar la primera dosis (T0, 4 semanas después de ésta (T1 y 4 semanas después de la segunda dosis (T2. Transcurridos 12 años de esta vacunación el 42% de los adolescentes presentó títulos bactericidas ≥ 1:4 frente a la cepa homóloga (B:4:P1.19,15 y el 98% mostró anticuerpos detectables contra las VME. En el EBS; el porcentaje de seroconversión T1/T0 fue del 57% y T2/T0 del 60%. Mediante ELISA la seroconversión fue del 59% y 54%, respectivamente, por lo que se demostró que la aplicación de una sola dosis después de 12 años indujo una respuesta inmune importante que puede sugerir una respuesta anamnésica.

  7. Molecular basis of the amylose-like polymer formation catalyzed by Neisseria polysaccharea amylosucrase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albenne, Cécile; Skov, Lars; Mirza, Osman Asghar

    2004-01-01

    Amylosucrase from Neisseria polysaccharea is a remarkable transglucosidase from family 13 of the glycoside-hydrolases that synthesizes an insoluble amylose-like polymer from sucrose in the absence of any primer. Amylosucrase shares strong structural similarities with alpha-amylases. Exactly how...

  8. Morphology of human Fallopian tubes after infection with Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma hominis--in vitro organ culture study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baczynska, Agata; Funch, P; Fedder, J

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Female infertility can be caused by scarring and occlusion of the Fallopian tubes. Sexually transmitted bacteria can damage the delicate epithelial layer of human Fallopian tubes (HFT). Genital mycoplasmas are associated with human reproductive failure. Yet, there is not enough evidence...... that mycoplasmas can cause tubal factor infertility. We analysed the effects of infections with Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma genitalium on the HFT epithelium and compared them with the effects of infections with genital pathogens: Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. METHODS: We used an in vitro...

  9. A more flexible lipoprotein sorting pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahales, Peter; Thanassi, David G

    2015-05-01

    Lipoprotein biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria occurs by a conserved pathway, each step of which is considered essential. In contrast to this model, LoVullo and colleagues demonstrate that the N-acyl transferase Lnt is not required in Francisella tularensis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This suggests the existence of a more flexible lipoprotein pathway, likely due to a modified Lol transporter complex, and raises the possibility that pathogens may regulate lipoprotein processing to modulate interactions with the host. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  10. Epidemiological evidence for the role of the haemoglobin receptor, HmbR, in meningococcal virulence

    OpenAIRE

    Harrison, Odile B.; Evans, Nicholas J.; Blair, Jessica M.; Grimes, Holly S.; Tinsley, Colin R.; Nassif, Xavier; Kriz, Paula; Ure, Roisin; Gray, Steve J.; Derrick, Jeremy P.; Maiden, Martin C.J.; Feavers, Ian M.

    2009-01-01

    The distribution of the haemoglobin receptor gene (hmbR) was investigated in disease and carried Neisseria meningitidis isolates revealing that the gene occurred at a significantly higher frequency in disease isolates compared to those obtained from carriage. Where hmbR was absent, the locus was occupied by the cassettes exl2 or exl3, or with a “pseudo hmbR” gene designated exl4. The hmbR locus in published N. meningitidis genomes, as well as N. gonorrhoeae and N. lactamica ST-640, exhibited ...

  11. Trichomonas vaginalis-An indicator for other sexually transmitted infecting agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agrawal B

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study is based on 350 women having sexually transmitted diseases (STD and 68 male counterparts. Trichomonas vaginalis was a significant contributor in 216 (61.7% out of 350 female STD cases and 56 (82.3% out of 68 male counterparts. Further, out of 126 (58.3% out of 216 cases of T. vaginalis, 41 cases (32.5% were associated with candida species; 29 cases (23% were associated with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N gonorrhoeae; Haemophilus ducreyi (H. ducreyi 18 cases (14.3% and Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis 11 cases (8.7%. Treponema pallidium (T. pallidium was observed in 8 cases (6.3% which constitutes a low percentage. The present study highlights the importance of T. vaginalis by showing positivity in two-thirds of the STD cases which suggests that it can be an important indicator for other etiological STD agents in women.

  12. Epidemiological markers in Neisseria meningitidis: an estimate of the performance of genotyping vs phenotyping

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weis, N; Lind, I

    1998-01-01

    In order to estimate the performance of genotypic vs phenotypic characterization of Neisseria meningitidis, 2 methods, DNA fingerprinting and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE), were assessed as regards applicability, reproducibility and discriminating capacity. 50 serogroup B and 52 serogroup...... C Neisseria meningitidis strains from 96 patients with meningococcal disease and 22 serogroup C strains from healthy carriers were investigated. Both methods were 100% applicable to meningococcal strains and results of DNA fingerprinting as well as of MEE were reproducible. The number of types...... defined by DNA fingerprinting and MEE as compared to that defined by phenotypic characteristics (serogroup, serotype, serosubtype and sulphonamide resistance) was as follows: for serogroup B strains from patients, 11 and 12 vs 8; for serogroup C strains from patients, 10 and 15 vs 8; and for serogroup C...

  13. Comparison of commercial diagnostic tests for identification of serogroup antigens of Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Ende, A.; Schuurman, I. G.; Hopman, C. T.; Fijen, C. A.; Dankert, J.

    1995-01-01

    In the study that is described the sensitivities and specificities of three commercial tests and the standard Reference Laboratory test, used since 1961, to identify Neisseria meningitidis serogroups were compared. The tests marketed by Difco, Murex/Wellcome, and Sanofi/Pasteur showed overall

  14. Gonorrhoea diagnoses in a network of STI clinics in Spain during the period 2006–2010: differences by sex and transmission route

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Gonorrhoea infection is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections and an important cause of morbidity and serious complications. The objectives of this paper are: a) to describe gonorrhoea cases diagnosed in a network of 15 (out of 16) STI clinics in Spain during 2006–2010; b) to analyse differences among men who have sex with men (MSM), men who have sex exclusively with women (MSW) and women; and c) to evaluate factors associated to with HIV co-infection. Methods All gonorrhoea cases diagnosed in the network were included (25.7% of total cases notified in Spain). Data were collected by clinical staff. Descriptive/bivariate analyses were carried out stratifying by sex and transmission category; association and trends were evaluated using the chi-square test. Factors associated with HIV co-infection were estimated using a logistic regression model. Results 2385 cases were included: 55.3% among MSM, 31.3% among MSW and 13.3% among females; cases among MSM increased from 55.8% in 2006 to 62.9% in 2010 while no trends were found among the other two groups. Most MSM cases were Spaniards (72%), aged 25–34 years (46%), 49% reported previous STI and 25% concurrent STI (excluding HIV); casual partners were the commonest source of infection, and 21% of cases had rectal gonorrhoea. MSW cases did not differ from MSM by age, origin or source of infection, but frequencies of prior or concurrent STI were lower. Female cases were younger than male, were mostly foreigners (58%), and 41% were sex workers; concurrent STI (other than HIV) were diagnosed in 30%; 20.4% had symptoms (72.5% and 89.2% in MSM and MSW), and pharyngeal location was present in 30%. HIV co-infection was highest in MSM (20.9%). Co-infection was associated with age > 35 years, low educational level, being Western European or Latin-American, being MSM, having previous or concurrent STI and reporting contact with an HIV-infected partner; it was inversely associated with

  15. Functional characterization of antibodies against Neisseria gonorrhoeae opacity protein loops.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica G Cole

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The development of a gonorrhea vaccine is challenged by the lack of correlates of protection. The antigenically variable neisserial opacity (Opa proteins are expressed during infection and have a semivariable (SV and highly conserved (4L loop that could be targeted in a vaccine. Here we compared antibodies to linear (Ab(linear and cyclic (Ab(cyclic peptides that correspond to the SV and 4L loops and selected hypervariable (HV(2 loops for surface-binding and protective activity in vitro and in vivo.Ab(SV cyclic bound a greater number of different Opa variants than Ab(SV linear, including variants that differed by seven amino acids. Antibodies to the 4L peptide did not bind Opa-expressing bacteria. Ab(SV (cyclic and Ab(HV2 (cyclic, but not Ab(SV (linear or Ab(HV2 linear agglutinated homologous Opa variants, and Ab(HV2BD (cyclic but not Ab(HV2BD (linear blocked the association of OpaB variants with human endocervical cells. Only Ab(HV2BD (linear were bactericidal against the serum resistant parent strain. Consistent with host restrictions in the complement cascade, the bactericidal activity of Ab(HV2BD (linear was increased 8-fold when rabbit complement was used. None of the antibodies was protective when administered vaginally to mice. Antibody duration in the vagina was short-lived, however, with <50% of the antibodies recovered 3 hrs post-administration.We conclude that an SV loop-specific cyclic peptide can be used to induce antibodies that recognize a broad spectrum of antigenically distinct Opa variants and have agglutination abilities. HV(2 loop-specific cyclic peptides elicited antibodies with agglutination and adherence blocking abilities. The use of human complement when testing the bactericidal activity of vaccine-induced antibodies against serum resistant gonococci is also important.

  16. Was an epidemic of gonorrhoea among heterosexuals attending an Adelaide sexual health services associated with variations in sex work policing policy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bin; Bi, Peng; Waddell, Russell; Chow, Eric Pf; Donovan, Basil; McNulty, Anna; Fehler, Glenda; Loff, Bebe; Shahkhan, Hana; Fairley, Christopher K

    2016-08-01

    A review of historical trends in gonococcal diagnoses made at the Adelaide Sexual Health Clinic (ASHC), South Australia, identified a substantial rise in diagnoses among heterosexuals between 2006 and 2010. Sex work is illegal in South Australia, regulated in Victoria and legal in New South Wales. This and other factors that could have influenced the epidemic were explored in this analysis. Retrospective analyses of gonorrhoea diagnoses made by sexual health services between 1990 and 2012 in three Australian state capitals, Melbourne (Victoria) and Sydney (New South Wales) were undertaken. At the ASHC the proportion of gonorrhoea diagnoses was higher between 2006 and 2010 among heterosexual men (5.34% vs 0.84%, p<0.001), non-sex worker women (0.64% vs 0.28%, p<0.001) and female sex workers (FSWs) (1.75% vs 0.24%, p<0.001) compared with other years. This relationship was not seen at the Melbourne Sexual Health Clinic and corresponding data from the Sydney Sexual Health Centre showed that FSWs were less likely to have gonorrhoea between 2006 and 2010 than the other groups (p=0.746, p=0.522, p=0.024, respectively). At ASHC FSWs were significantly more likely to be diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.48 to 5.27, p=0.002). Charges against sex workers peaked in 2007/2008. A substantial, self-limiting rise in diagnoses of heterosexual gonorrhoea was seen in Adelaide FSWs between 2006 and 2010. Removing barriers to condom use is vital to the prevention of HIV and STI transmission. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. Meropenem susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae from meningitis patients in The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Beek, D.; Hensen, E. F.; Spanjaard, L.; de Gans, J.; Enting, R. H.; Dankert, J.

    1997-01-01

    In-vitro susceptibility of 299 Neisseria meningitidis and 157 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains from meningitis patients in The Netherlands in 1993 and 1994 to meropenem was determined using the Etest. Susceptibility to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and chloramphenicol was also determined. Rifampicin

  18. Penicillin sensitivity of gonococci isolated in Australia, 1981-6. Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-06-01

    The sensitivity to penicillin of about 25,000 gonococcal isolates tested in Australia during the five years to 30 June 1986 was assessed in a collaborative multicentric study. Increasing resistance to the penicillin group of antibiotics was observed during the course of this study and was manifested both as increased levels of chromosomally mediated intrinsic resistance and by an increasing incidence of penicillinase producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG). Pronounced regional differences in the levels of intrinsic resistance, the incidence of infections with PPNG, and the endemic spread of PPNG strains were observed.

  19. Clinical and analytical evaluation of the new Aptima Mycoplasma genitalium assay, with data on M. genitalium prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in M. genitalium in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 2016

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Unemo, M.; Salado-Rasmussen, K.; Hansen, M.

    2017-01-01

    Européene (CE)/. in vitro diagnostics (IVD) Aptima Mycoplasma genitalium assay (CE/IVD AMG; Hologic); the prevalence of MG, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG); and MG resistance to azithromycin and moxifloxacin in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 2016. Methods: From February 2016......B quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Resistance-associated mutations were determined by sequencing. Strains of MG and other mycoplasma species in different concentrations were also tested. Results: In total 5269 patients were included. The prevalence of MG was 7.2% (382/5269; 4.9-9.8% in the countries...

  20. A first meningococcal meningitis case caused by serogroup Ⅹ Neisseria meningitidis strains in China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHEN Chao; UANG Ying-chun; ZHANG Tie-gang; HE Jing-guo; WU Jiang; CHEN Li-juan; LIU Jun-feng; PANG Xing-huo; YANG Jie; SHAO Zhu-jun

    2008-01-01

    @@ Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis and classified into 13 serogroups based on the immunological reactivity of the capsular polysaccharide.1 Serogroups A,B,C,W135 and Y are the most common causes of meningitis.2

  1. Neisseria lactamica Causing a Lung Cavity and Skin Rash in a Renal Transplant Patient: First Report from India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalid Hamid Changal

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria lactamica, a commensal, has been very rarely reported to cause diseases in immunocompromised hosts. In medical literature, there is only one report of a cavitatory lung lesion caused by it. The patient was a kidney transplant recipient. Neisseria lactamica was found to be the cause of his pulmonary cavity and a desquamating rash on feet. With the rapidly spreading medical advance, more and more patients are getting organ transplants, so the population of immunocompromised people is on the rise. We expect more sinister and less expected organisms to cause diseases in patients who have organ transplants.

  2. Proteochemometric model for predicting the inhibition of penicillin-binding proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabu, Sunanta; Nantasenamat, Chanin; Owasirikul, Wiwat; Lawung, Ratana; Isarankura-Na-Ayudhya, Chartchalerm; Lapins, Maris; Wikberg, Jarl E. S.; Prachayasittikul, Virapong

    2015-02-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection threatens to become an untreatable sexually transmitted disease in the near future owing to the increasing emergence of N. gonorrhoeae strains with reduced susceptibility and resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), i.e. ceftriaxone and cefixime, which are the last remaining option for first-line treatment of gonorrhea. Alteration of the penA gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2), is the main mechanism conferring penicillin resistance including reduced susceptibility and resistance to ESCs. To predict and investigate putative amino acid mutations causing β-lactam resistance particularly for ESCs, we applied proteochemometric modeling to generalize N. gonorrhoeae susceptibility data for predicting the interaction of PBP2 with therapeutic β-lactam antibiotics. This was afforded by correlating publicly available data on antimicrobial susceptibility of wild-type and mutant N. gonorrhoeae strains for penicillin-G, cefixime and ceftriaxone with 50 PBP2 protein sequence data using partial least-squares projections to latent structures. The generated model revealed excellent predictability ( R 2 = 0.91, Q 2 = 0.77, Q Ext 2 = 0.78). Moreover, our model identified amino acid mutations in PBP2 with the highest impact on antimicrobial susceptibility and provided information on physicochemical properties of amino acid mutations affecting antimicrobial susceptibility. Our model thus provided insight into the physicochemical basis for resistance development in PBP2 suggesting its use for predicting and monitoring novel PBP2 mutations that may emerge in the future.

  3. Social capital, poverty, and income inequality as predictors of gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and AIDS case rates in the United States

    OpenAIRE

    Holtgrave, D; Crosby, R

    2003-01-01

    Objective: This study examined the state level association between social capital, poverty, income inequality, and four infectious diseases that have important public health implications given their long term sequelae: gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, and AIDS.

  4. Emergence of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and untreatable gonorrhea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unemo, Magnus; Nicholas, Robert A

    2013-01-01

    The new superbug Neisseria gonorrhoeae has retained resistance to antimicrobials previously recommended for first-line treatment and has now demonstrated its capacity to develop resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporin, ceftriaxone, the last remaining option for first-line empiric treatment of gonorrhea. An era of untreatable gonorrhea may be approaching, which represents an exceedingly serious public health problem. Herein, we review the evolution, origin and spread of antimicrobial resistance and resistance determinants (with a focus on extended-spectrum cephalosporins) in N. gonorrhoeae, detail the current situation regarding verified treatment failures with extended-spectrum cephalosporins and future treatment options, and highlight essential actions to meet the large public health challenge that arises with the possible emergence of untreatable gonorrhea. Essential actions include: implementing action/response plans globally and nationally; enhancing surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance, treatment failures and antimicrobial use/misuse; and improving prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea. Novel treatment strategies, antimicrobials (or other compounds) and, ideally, a vaccine must be developed. PMID:23231489

  5. Comparison of PCR method with the culture method for identification of gonococci from endocervical swabs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alam A

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Gonococcal infection remains still a major cause of morbidity among sexually active individuals. Diagnosis of the infection in a female case is more difficult than that in a male. This was a prospective study among 269 female commercial sex workers (CSWs to screen them for gonococcal infection, comparing the rapid method of identification of gonococci by polymerase chain reaction (PCR with the selective culture method. A total of 92 (34.2% CSWs were identified positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae by combination of the two methods. The PCR method identified 87 of the specimens to harbour cppB gene of N. gonorrhoeae, whereas culture method identified 83 specimens showing colonies of gonococci. Taking into consideration of the total positive cases (92, the PCR method showed a sensitivity of 94.57%, whereas sensitivity of culture method was 90.22%. The selective culture method appears to be the most applicable in the identification of gonococci from clinical specimens, particularly in the less resourceful countries like Bangladesh.

  6. The European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP)--a sentinel approach in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiteri, Gianfranco; Cole, Michelle; Unemo, Magnus; Hoffmann, Steen; Ison, Catherine; van de Laar, Marita

    2013-12-01

    Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is monitored in the European Union/European Economic Area through the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP) coordinated by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Euro-GASP includes a sentinel surveillance programme which aims to detect in a timely manner changes in resistance patterns and inform treatment guidelines. The programme aims to test a representative number of isolates from each European Union/European Economic Area member state per year for a range of therapeutically relevant antimicrobials through a biannual hybrid centralised/decentralised system. Testing is supported by an External Quality Assurance programme and a laboratory training programme. Participation in the programme has increased to 21 countries in 2012. Euro-GASP has been able to detect the rapid spread of isolates with decreased susceptibility to cefixime across Europe in 2010 and 2011. Results from the programme have informed changes in European treatment guidelines for gonorrhoea and led to the development of the 'Response plan to control and manage the threat of multidrug resistant gonorrhoea in Europe'. Future challenges for Euro-GASP include supporting countries to participate in Euro-GASP through decentralised testing, improving timeliness and epidemiological data quality, and increasing participation from Eastern Europe.

  7. Are we satisfied with the tools for the diagnosis of gonococcal infection in females?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Hsiang Su

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a common sexually transmitted infection in women, with a heavy burden on female and neonatal health, because sequelae occur, such as female infertility, ectopic pregnancy, neonatal ophthalmitis and infection, and chronic pelvic pain. Prompt and appropriate antibiotic treatment can cure infection and avoid complications. However, adequate treatment is not easy, because early and rapid identification of gonorrhea is interfered with by many factors, including the complicated mixed microflora of the vagina and cervix, non-user-friendly culture systems, and lack of immediate availability of results, even with a combination of subjective complaint and high clinical suspicion. A PubMed search was conducted using the major headings of “gonorrhoea and diagnostic tool” and “Neisseria gonorrhoeae and diagnostic tool”, before the end of 2010. Recently available methods for the diagnosis of gonorrhea infection in women were included, including traditional tools and advanced technology. Traditional tools such as microscopic examination and microbial culture have been used broadly; unfortunately, they have relatively lower specificity or sensitivity, and most importantly, “see-and-treat” is impossible for these infected women. Advances in technology, such as antigen detection by immunoassay and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs, have achieved major progress in the diagnosis of gonorrhea, because of their accuracy, convenience and time-saving aspects. However, NAATs are expensive, making their acceptance impossible in developing countries. Detection of pathogens including N. gonorrheae using microarray chips is viewed as a possible solution, because it is a relatively rapid, easy, inexpensive and sensitive tool, which makes an “identify-and-treat” or point-of-care policy possible. A rapid and affordable tool with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of gonorrhea in developing countries is still

  8. Survivors of septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis in childhood: psychosocial outcomes in young adulthood

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermunt, Lindy C.; Buysse, Corinne M.; Joosten, Koen F.; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J.; Hazelzet, Jan A.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Utens, Elisabeth M.

    2011-01-01

    To investigate long-term psychosocial outcomes in young adults who survived septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcal septic shock) during childhood. A cross-sectional study. The psychological investigation took place in the department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the

  9. Survivors of septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis in childhood : Psychosocial outcomes in young adulthood

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermunt, Lindy C.; Buysse, Corinne M.; Joosten, Koen F.; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J.; Hazelzet, Jan A.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Utens, Elisabeth M.

    Objective: To investigate long-term psychosocial outcomes in young adults who survived septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcal septic shock) during childhood. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: The psychological investigation took place in the department of Child and

  10. The first report: An analysis of bacterial flora of the first voided urine specimens of patients with male urethritis using the 16S ribosomal RNA gene-based clone library method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Chunlin; Hamasuna, Ryoichi; Ogawa, Midori; Fukuda, Kazumasa; Hachisuga, Toru; Matsumoto, Tetsuro; Taniguchi, Hatsumi

    2016-06-01

    To analyse the bacterial flora of urine from patients with male urethritis using the clone library method. Urine specimens from patients with urethritis were used. The bacterial flora was analysed according to the 16S ribosomal RNA gene-based clone library method. In addition, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum or Ureaplasma parvum were detected by the conventional PCR methods (TMA or real-time PCR) and data from the clone library and conventional PCR methods were compared. Among 58 urine specimens, 38 were successfully analysed using the clone library method. From the specimens, 2427 clones were evaluated and 95 bacterial phylotypes were detected. N. gonorrhoeae was detected from 6 specimens and as the predominant bacterial species in 5 specimens. M. genitalium was detected from 5 specimens and as the predominant bacterial species in 3 specimens. C. trachomatis was detected from 15 specimens using the TMA method, but was detected from only 1 specimen using the clone library method. U. parvum was detected from only 2 specimens using the clone library method. In addition, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis were also detected in 8 and 1 specimens, respectively. Gardnerella vaginalis, which is a potential pathogen for bacterial vaginitis in women, was detected in 10 specimens. The clone library method can detect the occupancy rate of each bacteria species among the bacterial flora and may be a new method for bacterial analyses in male urethritis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Sexually transmitted infections among male highway coach drivers in Myanmar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aung, Wah Wah; Thant, Myo; Wai, Khin Thet; Aye, Mya Mya; Ei, Phyu Win; Myint, Thuzar; Thidar, Moe

    2013-05-01

    A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted from February 2008 to December 2009 at the largest Highway Terminal, Yangon, Myanmar to determine the prevalence of curable STIs (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydial infections, and trichomoniasis), to find out the associated factors for STIs, and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of gonococcal infection among highway drivers. Urine and blood specimens were collected from 601 male highway coach drivers after an interview about their behavior. Standard laboratory tests were carried out to detect STIs. Multivariate analysis was used to ascertain potential risk factors for STIs. The prevalence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydial infections, and trichomoniasis were 4.8, 4.3, 5.7, and 9.8%, respectively. One hundred and two (17.0%) were infected with at least one of the tested four STIs, and 34 (5.7%) had STI co-infections (2STIs). Those who had multiple sexual contacts were likely to be infected with at least one STI, and those who had a history of inconsistent condom use within past two weeks and multiple sexual contacts were more likely to have STI co-infections (p < 0.05). Antimicrobial susceptibility of 21 Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates showed that 85.7% were susceptible to azithromycin, 80.9% to spectinomycin, 66.7% to cefixime, 61.9% to ceftriaxone, and 38.1% to ciprofloxacin. The high prevalence of STIs in this study and the decreased susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone highlighted the role of periodic screening in early diagnosis and effective treatment of STIs among high-risk populations.

  12. Cervico-vaginal monitoring in pregnancy in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonietta Cavallaro

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Reproductive tract infections (RTIs in pregnancy are an important cause of fetal and neonatal morbidity, sometimes with serious complications. Chlamydia trachomatis causes ectopic pregnancy, conjunctivitis, pneumonia and RTIs in newborn babies. Listeria monocytogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae can give neonatal sepsis and meningitis, and Trichomonas vaginalis causes premature birth. Objectives To update local epidemiology of RTIs in pregnancy in order to to implement efficacious screening and prevention programs. Methods Between January- December 2006, at the Padua’s Hospital Microbiology and Virology Service,we investigated 2000 asimptomatic pregnant women, 18-45 years old, Italian and foreigners.We collected vaginal and cervical swabs for the microscopy, the culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma spp., Streptococcus agalactiae, Listeria monocytogenes, and other bacteria and yeasts, and for the molecular assay for Chlamydia trachomatis. Results The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis in our population were 2.06% and 0.20%, respectively. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was not detected. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs were more frequent among foreigners, and in women aged 18-30.The prevalence of Streptococcus agalactiae was 8.69% for Italian, and 7.54% for foreigners.We didn’t find any case of maternal colonization by Listeria monocytogenes. Conclusions From the obtained results ideas have emerged to arrange a qualitative and quantitative optimization of the diagnosis of RTIs, implementing diagnostic paths based on the different typologies of patients and on the local epidemiology. The cultural research of Listeria monocytogenes takes a long time, perhaps a molecular one, because of fastness and sensitivity, could be more useful.

  13. Multiple strategies to improve sensitivity, speed and robustness of isothermal nucleic acid amplification for rapid pathogen detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lemieux Bertrand

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past decades the rapid growth of molecular diagnostics (based on either traditional PCR or isothermal amplification technologies meet the demand for fast and accurate testing. Although isothermal amplification technologies have the advantages of low cost requirements for instruments, the further improvement on sensitivity, speed and robustness is a prerequisite for the applications in rapid pathogen detection, especially at point-of-care diagnostics. Here, we describe and explore several strategies to improve one of the isothermal technologies, helicase-dependent amplification (HDA. Results Multiple strategies were approached to improve the overall performance of the isothermal amplification: the restriction endonuclease-mediated DNA helicase homing, macromolecular crowding agents, and the optimization of reaction enzyme mix. The effect of combing all strategies was compared with that of the individual strategy. With all of above methods, we are able to detect 50 copies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA in just 20 minutes of amplification using a nearly instrument-free detection platform (BESt™ cassette. Conclusions The strategies addressed in this proof-of-concept study are independent of expensive equipments, and are not limited to particular primers, targets or detection format. However, they make a large difference in assay performance. Some of them can be adjusted and applied to other formats of nucleic acid amplification. Furthermore, the strategies to improve the in vitro assays by maximally simulating the nature conditions may be useful in the general field of developing molecular assays. A new fast molecular assay for Neisseria gonorrhoeae has also been developed which has great potential to be used at point-of-care diagnostics.

  14. Improved detection of genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance by hybridization probe-based melting curve analysis using primers to mask proximal mutations: examples include the influenza H275Y substitution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiley, David M; Jacob, Kevin; Nakos, Jennifer; Bletchly, Cheryl; Nimmo, Graeme R; Nissen, Michael D; Sloots, Theo P

    2012-06-01

    Numerous real-time PCR assays have been described for detection of the influenza A H275Y alteration. However, the performance of these methods can be undermined by sequence variation in the regions flanking the codon of interest. This is a problem encountered more broadly in microbial diagnostics. In this study, we developed a modification of hybridization probe-based melting curve analysis, whereby primers are used to mask proximal mutations in the sequence targets of hybridization probes, so as to limit the potential for sequence variation to interfere with typing. The approach was applied to the H275Y alteration of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 strain, as well as a Neisseria gonorrhoeae mutation associated with antimicrobial resistance. Assay performances were assessed using influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains characterized by DNA sequencing. The modified hybridization probe-based approach proved successful in limiting the effects of proximal mutations, with the results of melting curve analyses being 100% consistent with the results of DNA sequencing for all influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains tested. Notably, these included influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains exhibiting additional mutations in hybridization probe targets. Of particular interest was that the H275Y assay correctly typed influenza A strains harbouring a T822C nucleotide substitution, previously shown to interfere with H275Y typing methods. Overall our modified hybridization probe-based approach provides a simple means of circumventing problems caused by sequence variation, and offers improved detection of the influenza A H275Y alteration and potentially other resistance mechanisms.

  15. Cleavage of a recombinant human immunoglobulin A2 (IgA2)-IgA1 hybrid antibody by certain bacterial IgA1 proteases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Senior, B; Dunlop, JI; Batten, MR

    2000-01-01

    , Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. sanguis, Neisseria meningitidis types 1 and 2, N. gonorrhoeae types 1 and 2, and Haemophilus influenzae type 2. Thus, for these enzymes the recognition site for IgA1 cleavage is contained within half of the IgA1 hinge region; additional distal elements, if required, are provided...... by either an IgA1 or an IgA2 framework. In contrast, the IgA2/A1 hybrid appeared to be resistant to cleavage with S. oralis and some H. influenzae type 1 IgA1 proteases, suggesting these enzymes require additional determinants for efficient substrate recognition....

  16. Crystallographic characterization of the outer membrane lipoprotein FrpD from Neisseria meningitidis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sviridova, Ekaterina; Bumba, Ladislav; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Veverka, Václav; Šebo, Peter; Kutá-Smatanová, Ivana

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 22, č. 1 (2015), s. 57-58 ISSN 1211-5894. [Discussions in Structural Molecular Biology. Annual Meeting of the Czech Society for Structural Biology /13./. 19.03.2015-21.03.2015, Nové Hrady] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/11/0717; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06010 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:67179843 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : FrpD * Neisseria meningitidis Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

  17. Geotemporal analysis of Neisseria meningitidis clones in the United States: 2000-2005.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann E Wiringa

    Full Text Available The detection of meningococcal outbreaks relies on serogrouping and epidemiologic definitions. Advances in molecular epidemiology have improved the ability to distinguish unique Neisseria meningitidis strains, enabling the classification of isolates into clones. Around 98% of meningococcal cases in the United States are believed to be sporadic.Meningococcal isolates from 9 Active Bacterial Core surveillance sites throughout the United States from 2000 through 2005 were classified according to serogroup, multilocus sequence typing, and outer membrane protein (porA, porB, and fetA genotyping. Clones were defined as isolates that were indistinguishable according to this characterization. Case data were aggregated to the census tract level and all non-singleton clones were assessed for non-random spatial and temporal clustering using retrospective space-time analyses with a discrete Poisson probability model.Among 1,062 geocoded cases with available isolates, 438 unique clones were identified, 78 of which had ≥2 isolates. 702 cases were attributable to non-singleton clones, accounting for 66.0% of all geocoded cases. 32 statistically significant clusters comprised of 107 cases (10.1% of all geocoded cases were identified. Clusters had the following attributes: included 2 to 11 cases; 1 day to 33 months duration; radius of 0 to 61.7 km; and attack rate of 0.7 to 57.8 cases per 100,000 population. Serogroups represented among the clusters were: B (n = 12 clusters, 45 cases, C (n = 11 clusters, 27 cases, and Y (n = 9 clusters, 35 cases; 20 clusters (62.5% were caused by serogroups represented in meningococcal vaccines that are commercially available in the United States.Around 10% of meningococcal disease cases in the U.S. could be assigned to a geotemporal cluster. Molecular characterization of isolates, combined with geotemporal analysis, is a useful tool for understanding the spread of virulent meningococcal clones and patterns of

  18. Portadores nasofaríngeos de Neisseria meningitidis en trabajadores con riesgo ocupacional

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Martínez

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Los portadores de Neisseria meningitidis constituyen la principal fuente de infección y transmisión de la enfermedad meningocócica. Conocer su prevalencia, las características de las cepas aisladas y los factores de riesgos asociados con el estado de portador, aportan datos valiosos al control y vigilancia epidemiológica de esta entidad clínica. Para cumplimentar los objetivos propuestos se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo de portadores de N. meningitidis en 112 trabajadores de un centro de producción de biofarmacéuticos de La Habana, con edades comprendidas entre 18_60 años. Previo a su realización se cumplió con las exigencias bioéticas requeridas para este tipo de estudio. A todos se les realizó un exudado nasofaríngeo y una encuesta, donde se indagó sobre factores de riesgo (edad, sexo, hacinamiento, hábito de fumar, consumo de bebidas alcohólicas, amigdalectomía y antecedentes de infección respiratoria que favorecen la condición del portador. La identificación de las cepas de N. meningitidis se realizó según métodos convencionales, la clasificación de los serogrupos se hizo por aglutinación en láminas portaobjetos con antisueros comerciales y para la identificación de los serotipos y subtipos se empleó un ensayo inmunoenzimático (ELISA de células enteras con anticuerpos monoclonales. Se detectó un 8% de portadores de N. meningitidis con predominio del serogrupo B (77,8% y el fenotipo más frecuente fue el B:4:P1.4 (33,3%. Al analizar el estado de portador y su asociación con los factores de riesgo, la edad (p = 0,05 y el sexo (p = 0,013 mostraron diferencias significativas. Se demostró la posibilidad del riesgo ocupacional en aquellos individuos que por su profesión están en contacto con microorganismos patógenos

  19. Backbone resonance assignments of the outer membrane lipoprotein FrpD from Neisseria meningitidis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bumba, Ladislav; Sviridova, E.; Kutá-Smatanová, Ivana; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Veverka, Václav

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 1 (2014), s. 53-55 ISSN 1874-2718 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/11/0717; GA MŠk(CZ) LK11205 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:61388971 ; RVO:67179843 Keywords : Neisseria meningitidis * FrpC * FrpD * backbone assignments * NMR * iron-regulated protein Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 0.760, year: 2014

  20. Fit genotypes and escape variants of subgroup III Neisseria meningitidis during three pandemics of epidemic meningitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhu, P.; van der Ende, A.; Falush, D.; Brieske, N.; Morelli, G.; Linz, B.; Popovic, T.; Schuurman, I. G.; Adegbola, R. A.; Zurth, K.; Gagneux, S.; Platonov, A. E.; Riou, J. Y.; Caugant, D. A.; Nicolas, P.; Achtman, M.

    2001-01-01

    The genetic variability at six polymorphic loci was examined within a global collection of 502 isolates of subgroup III, serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis. Nine "genoclouds" were identified, consisting of genotypes that were isolated repeatedly plus 48 descendent genotypes that were isolated

  1. Clinical behavior of Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis Comportamiento clinico y terapéutico de la meningoencefalitis por Streptococcus pneumoniae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raisa Bu-Coifiu Fanego

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: There was an increased number of cases of meningoencephalitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, after the successful vaccination campaigns against Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. This paper aims at describing the clinical characteristics, the laboratory findings, the complications, and the therapeutic management of these patients, who have been suffering from this disease since 1993 to 2006. METHOD: Twelve children with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis admitted to the pediatric hospital of San Miguel del Padron, City of Havana in this period were assessed. RESULTS: Children under one year are the most frequently affected. Septic shock and brain edema were the most severe complications. Three patients died, implying that this disease has a serious course. Early treatment of brain edema is very important to reduce mortality. The elective drugs for treatment of these cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis were vancomycin combined with cephalosporin, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone type. CONCLUSION: Patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis show clinical characteristics, complications, and sequels that are different to other bacterial meningoencephalitis, meaning that they could be helpful for physicians considering the differential diagnosis of meningoencephalitis.OBJETIVO: Existe un incremento de la meningoencefalitis producida por Streptococcus pneumoniae, después de las campañas exitosas de vacunación contra Neisseria meningitidis y Haemophilus influenzae. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las caracteristicas clinicas, los hallazgos de laboratorio, las complicaciones y el manejo terapéutico de los pacientes que sufrieron esta enfermedad desde 1993 a 2006. MÉTODO: Se estudiaron doce niños con meningoencefalitis por Streptococcus pneumoniae ingresados en el Hospital Pediátrico de San Miguel del Padrón, Ciudad de La Habana en este periodo. RESULTADOS: Los ni

  2. Infective endocarditis caused by Neisseria elongata on a native tricuspid valve and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Yeon Pyo; Kang, Ki-Woon; Yoon, Hyeon Soo; Yoo, Seungmin; Lee, Myung-Shin

    2014-04-01

    Neisseria elongata, a common oral bacterium, has been recognized as a cause of infections such as infective endocarditis, septicemia, and osteomyelitis. Neisseria-induced infective endocarditis, although infrequently reported, typically arises after dental procedures. Without antibiotic therapy, its complications can be severe. We report the case of a 27-year-old man who presented with fever, severe dyspnea, and a leg abscess from cellulitis. An echocardiogram showed a vegetation-like echogenic structure on the septal leaflet of the patient's native tricuspid valve, and an insignificant Gerbode defect. Three blood cultures grew gram-negative, antibiotic-susceptible coccobacilli that were confirmed to be N. elongata. Subsequent DNA sequencing conclusively isolated N. elongata subsp nitroreducens as the organism responsible for the infective endocarditis. The patient recovered after 21 days of antibiotic therapy. In addition to the patient's unusual case, we discuss the nature and isolation of N. elongata and its subspecies.

  3. The Neisseria meningitidis Outer Membrane Lipoprotein FrpD Binds the RTX Protein FrpC

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Procházková, Kateřina; Osička, Radim; Linhartová, Irena; Halada, Petr; Šulc, Miroslav; Šebo, Peter

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 280, č. 5 (2005), s. 3251-3258 ISSN 0021-9258 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA310/02/1448 Grant - others:Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholarship Award 55000334 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : neisseria meningitidis * FrpD * FrpC Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 5.854, year: 2005

  4. Study of 138 Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from blood or cerebrospinal fluid in Lombardy between 2007 and 2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Daprai

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae type b cause the majority of cases of bacterial septicaemia in children and young adults. Disease epidemiology is evolving rapidly due to the introduction of vaccines and changing in bacterial antibiotic-resistance patterns. (Asymptomatic nasopharyngeal colonization with Neisseria meningitides occurs in 5-10% of adult. The aim of this study was to calculate the frequency of each serogroup of this pathogens involved in invasive infection and to study susceptibility to antibiotics of these strains. Between March 2007 and June 2010 we received, from 43 hospitals of Lombardy, 138 strains of Neisseria meningitidis, from 138 patients aged (2-80yrs. The most frequent serogroup was B (58%, followed by serogroup C (34%, serogroup G (4% and W 135 (2%. Serogroup A end X accounted for 1% of invasive infection, each. We observed a decrease in susceptibility towards penicillin in 38% of strains. In addition we studied, by REP- PCR, genotype of 9 strains selected on the basis of epidemiological data.Among these strains, 3 different clusters according to the 3 small epidemic outbreaks occurred between June and September 2009, were recognised. Seven of these strains, although belonged to the same serogroup, brought about two different clusters. The present findings demonstrated that phenotypic data are not sufficient to define epidemic clusters, therefore molecular genotyping is required.

  5. NmeSI restriction-modification system identified by representational difference analysis of a hypervirulent Neisseria meningitidis strain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bart, A.; Pannekoek, Y.; Dankert, J.; van der Ende, A.

    2001-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is a gram-negative bacterium that may cause meningitis, sepsis, or both. The increase in the incidence of meningococcal disease in various countries in the past 2 decades is mainly due the genotypically related lineage III meningococci. The chromosomal DNA differences between

  6. Self-esteem in children and adolescents after septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis: scars do matter

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermunt, Lindy C.; Buysse, Corinne M.; Joosten, Koen F.; Oranje, Arnold P.; Hazelzet, Jan A.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Utens, Elisabeth M.

    2008-01-01

    To investigate self-esteem and its relation to scars, amputations, and orthopedic sequelae in children and adolescents long term after meningococcal septic shock (MSS) caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The Dutch versions of the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPP-C; 8-11 years) and the

  7. [Gonococcal vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls: sexual abuse or accidental transmission?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daval-Cote, M; Liberas, S; Tristan, A; Vandenesch, F; Gillet, Y

    2013-01-01

    Vulvovaginitis is the most frequent gynecologic pathology among prepubertal females. An infectious cause is found in 30% of cases and is highly associated with the presence of vaginal discharge upon examination. Neisseria gonorrhoeae may be one of the causative agents. Since N. gonorrhoeae is a common sexually transmitted disease, sexual abuse should be considered in the pediatric setting. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl with N. gonorrhoeae vulvovaginitis. Her previous history, multiple interviews with the patient and her parents, and clinical examination showed no evidence or signs of sexual abuse. Both parents presented gonorrhea, urethritis for the father and vaginitis for the mother. The discrepancy between pediatric evaluation and the presence of a bacterium associated with sexually transmitted disease led us to consider other means of contamination. Previous studies have shown that other routes of transmission are possible but are often neglected. Hence, contamination can be transmitted by the hands or mostly through passive means (towels, rectal thermometer, etc.). Many epidemics have been noted in group settings with young girls with no evidence of sexual transmission. Therefore, we concluded that this patient's infection was likely an accidental transmission within her family. The acknowledgement of these transmission routes is very important in order to avoid misguided suspicion of sexual abuse and the possible traumatic family and psychosocial consequences. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  8. Polymicrobial infective endocarditis caused by Neisseria sicca and Haemophilus parainfluenzae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikoloz Koshkelashvili

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Infective endocarditis is a common clinical problem in industrialized countries. Risk factors include abnormal cardiac valves, a history of endocarditis, intracardiac devices, prosthetic valves and intravenous drug use. We report a case of polymicrobial infective endocarditis in a 33 year-old female with a history chronic heroin use caused by Neisseria sicca and Haemophilus parainfluenzae. We believe the patient was exposed to these microbes by cleansing her skin with saliva prior to injection. Pairing a detailed history with the consideration of atypical agents is crucial in the proper diagnosis and management of endocarditis in patients with high-risk injection behaviors.

  9. Enhancement of recovery of Neisseria meningitidis by gelatin in blood culture media.

    OpenAIRE

    Pai, C H; Sorger, S

    1981-01-01

    The efficacy of gelatin for the recovery of Neisseria meningitidis from blood cultures was evaluated in a clinical setting. The organism was isolated from seven patients with meningococcal infections in blood culture media containing 1% gelatin. In contrast, only two blood cultures from these patients were positive in media without gelatin (P less than 0.05). Gelatin did not influence the recovery of other organisms isolated during this study. Conventional blood culture media may be supplemen...

  10. NMR assignment of intrinsically disordered self-processing module of the FrpC protein of Neisseria meningitidis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kubáň, V.; Nováček, J.; Bumba, Ladislav; Žídek, L.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 9, č. 2 (2015), s. 435-440 ISSN 1874-2718 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/11/0717 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : FrpC * Self-processing module * Neisseria meningitidis Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 0.687, year: 2015

  11. In-house polymerase chain reaction for affordable and sustainable Chlamydia trachomatis detection in Trinidad and Tobago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampersad, Joanne; Wang, Xiaohui; Gayadeen, Helen; Ramsewak, Samuel; Ammons, David

    2007-11-01

    To provide a preliminary assessment of in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as an alternative to the more costly commercial test for detection of asymptomatic infection by Chlamydia trachomatis and to provide much needed demographic data on infection indicators within the Trinidad and Tobago public health care system. An inexpensive in-house nested-PCR with an Internal Amplification Control was used to detect C. trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urine samples collected from 273 apparently healthy, pregnant women from March-September 2004 in Trinidad, West Indies. Demographic information on participants was collected and subjected to statistical analyses. C. trachomatis was detected in 57/273 (21%) samples, of which 5 (2%) were also positive for N. gonorrhoeae. Infection correlated well with certain demographic parameters, with the highest incidence of C. trachomatis infection found among pregnant women that were single or of African descent. Given the lack of commercial tests in Trinidad, in-house PCR is an inexpensive alternative that can be used to detect asymptomatic infections of C. trachomatis and to provide demographic information needed for interventions by the public health care system.

  12. Functional analysis of the interdependence between DNA uptake sequence and its cognate ComP receptor during natural transformation in Neisseria species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamie-Lee Berry

    Full Text Available Natural transformation is the widespread biological process by which "competent" bacteria take up free DNA, incorporate it into their genomes, and become genetically altered or "transformed". To curb often deleterious transformation by foreign DNA, several competent species preferentially take up their own DNA that contains specific DUS (DNA uptake sequence watermarks. Our recent finding that ComP is the long sought DUS receptor in Neisseria species paves the way for the functional analysis of the DUS-ComP interdependence which is reported here. By abolishing/modulating ComP levels in Neisseria meningitidis, we show that the enhancement of transformation seen in the presence of DUS is entirely dependent on ComP, which also controls transformation in the absence of DUS. While peripheral bases in the DUS were found to be less important, inner bases are essential since single base mutations led to dramatically impaired interaction with ComP and transformation. Strikingly, naturally occurring DUS variants in the genomes of human Neisseria commensals differing from DUS by only one or two bases were found to be similarly impaired for transformation of N. meningitidis. By showing that ComPsub from the N. subflava commensal specifically binds its cognate DUS variant and mediates DUS-enhanced transformation when expressed in a comP mutant of N. meningitidis, we confirm that a similar mechanism is used by all Neisseria species to promote transformation by their own, or closely related DNA. Together, these findings shed new light on the molecular events involved in the earliest step in natural transformation, and reveal an elegant mechanism for modulating horizontal gene transfer between competent species sharing the same niche.

  13. Portadores de Neisseria meningitidis, caracterización de las cepas aisladas y respuesta inmune basal a VA-MENGOC-BC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María J. Valdés

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Con el propósito de conocer la prevalencia de portadores de Neisseria meningitidis en un grupo de adolescentes, los marcadores epidemiológicos de las cepas aisladas, así como los factores de riesgo asociados con el estado de portador y la respuesta inmune basal a VA-MENGOC-BC , se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo de portadores en 189 estudiantes de 12-19 años de un politécnico de Ciego de Ávila, siguiendo las Normas Bioéticas establecidas. A los estudiantes se les realizó un exudado faríngeo y una extracción de sangre para la obtención de suero, así como una encuesta relacionada con aspectos de la investigación. La identificación de N. meningitidis se hizo por el sistema API NH (bioMérieux. Los serosubtipos e inmunotipos se clasificaron por ELISA de células enteras con anticuerpos monoclonales y la respuesta inmune basal se detectó por el Ensayo Bactericida del Suero. Se determinó la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana de las cepas frente a la penicilina, cloranfenicol, rifampicina, sulfadiacina sódica, ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacina. La prevalencia de portadores de N. meningitidis fue del 17%. Predominaron las cepas no agrupables (84,7%, seguidas por los serogrupos B (12,5% y Z (3,1%, destacándose la ausencia del C. Prevaleció el fenotipo NA:NT:P1.NST:L3,7,9 (12,5%, las cepas resistentes a la sulfadiacina (78,2% y sensibles a penicilina (81,3%, aunque el 18,7% mostró sensibilidad intermedia a este fármaco. Al resto de los antimicrobianos todas fueron sensibles. Se constató una respuesta inmune de memoria a la vacuna antimeningocócica (VAMENGOC-BC®, 12 años después de su aplicación, con títulos bactericidas anti C y B de 25 y 42%, respectivamente, resultados que pudieran estar influenciados por la inmunización sistemática que se realiza en Cuba con esta vacuna desde 1991.

  14. Origin of the diversity in DNA recognition domains in phasevarion associated modA genes of pathogenic Neisseria and Haemophilus influenzae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gawthorne, Jayde A; Beatson, Scott A; Srikhanta, Yogitha N; Fox, Kate L; Jennings, Michael P

    2012-01-01

    Phase variable restriction-modification (R-M) systems have been identified in a range of pathogenic bacteria. In some it has been demonstrated that the random switching of the mod (DNA methyltransferase) gene mediates the coordinated expression of multiple genes and constitutes a phasevarion (phase variable regulon). ModA of Neisseria and Haemophilus influenzae contain a highly variable, DNA recognition domain (DRD) that defines the target sequence that is modified by methylation and is used to define modA alleles. 18 distinct modA alleles have been identified in H. influenzae and the pathogenic Neisseria. To determine the origin of DRD variability, the 18 modA DRDs were used to search the available databases for similar sequences. Significant matches were identified between several modA alleles and mod gene from distinct bacterial species, indicating one source of the DRD variability was via horizontal gene transfer. Comparison of DRD sequences revealed significant mosaicism, indicating exchange between the Neisseria and H. influenzae modA alleles. Regions of high inter- and intra-allele similarity indicate that some modA alleles had undergone recombination more frequently than others, generating further diversity. Furthermore, the DRD from some modA alleles, such as modA12, have been transferred en bloc to replace the DRD from different modA alleles.

  15. Molecular biology of Neisseria meningitidis class 5 and H. 8 outer membrane proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawula, T.H.

    1987-01-01

    One of the surface structures responsible for inter- and intrastrain antigenic variability in meningococci is the heat-modifiable class 5 (C.5) protein. Neisseria meningitidis strain FAM18 (a meningococcal disease isolate) expressed two different C.5 proteins (C.5a and C.5b) identifiable by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We generated two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), each specific for one of the identified C.5 proteins. The MAbs, which were bactericidal for variants expressing the appropriate C.5 protein, were used to study C.5 expression changes in FAM18. The H.8 protein is an antigenically conserved outer membrane protein expressed almost exclusively by the pathogenic Neisseria. We have cloned and sequenced an H.8 gene from N. meningitidis FAM18. The predicted H.8 amino acid sequence indicated that the most probable signal peptide processing site matched the consensus prokaryotic lipoprotein processing/modification sequence. We then showed that the H.8 protein could be labeled with {sup 14}C-palmitic acid, confirming that H.8 was a lipoprotein. Processing of the H.8 protein was inhibited by globomycin in E. coli indicating that H.8 was modified by the described lipoprotein processing/modifying pathway described in both gram negative and gram positive genera.

  16. Meningencefalite por Pasteurella multocida: estudo clínico-laboratorial de um caso em lactente

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. E. Levy

    1989-12-01

    Full Text Available Os autores apresentam descrição clínico-laboratorial e evolutiva do caso de lactente com o diagnóstico de meningencefalite por Pasteurella multocida que apresentou na evolução atraso neuromotor, manifestações epilépticas, surdez neurossensorial e paresia crural à esquerda. Fazem também breve revisão do papel deste agente etiológico na patologia humana. Ressaltam a importância da P. multocida em casos de meningites bacterianas, fazendo-se o diagnóstico laboratorial diferencial com o Haemophilus influenzae e Neisseria meningitidis em processos infecciosos conseqüentes a arranhadura ou mordida de animais e nas bacteremias ou septicemias em pacientes com hepatopatias crônicas ou em estados de imunodepressão.

  17. Neisseria meningitidis ST11 Complex Isolates Associated with Nongonococcal Urethritis, Indiana, USA, 2015–2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toh, Evelyn; Gangaiah, Dharanesh; Batteiger, Byron E.; Williams, James A.; Arno, Janet N.; Tai, Albert; Batteiger, Teresa A.

    2017-01-01

    At a clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, we observed an increase in Neisseria gonorrhoeae–negative men with suspected gonococcal urethritis who had urethral cultures positive for N. meningitidis. We describe genomes of 2 of these N. meningitidis sequence type 11 complex urethritis isolates. Clinical evidence suggests these isolates may represent an emerging urethrotropic clade. PMID:28098538

  18. Laboratory Predictors of Meningococcal Disease And Vaccination in Children: studies on the host immune response against Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    C.L. Vermont (Clementien)

    2004-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ Neisseria meningitidis is a gram-negative diplococcus which was first identified by Anton Weichselbaum in 1887. Strains of N. meningitidis can be classified into serogroups based upon the different composition of its capsular polysaccharide. Thirteen serogroups

  19. Detection of Neisseria meningitidis in a paediatric patient with septic arthritis using multiplexed diagnostic PCR targeting meningitis/encephalitis (ME).

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Sullivan, Donnchadh

    2018-03-23

    Neisseria meningitidis is associated with meningitis and septicemia. Septic meningococcal arthritis is relatively uncommon and its diagnosis associated with clinical and microbiological challenges. Early recognition and treatment is required to prevent joint destruction.

  20. Resurgence of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W ST-11 (cc11) in Madagascar, 2015-2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasoanandrasana, Saïda; Raberahona, Mihaja; Milenkov, Milen; Rakotomahefa Narison, Mbolanirina Lala; Ranaivo Rabetokotany, Felana; Rakotovao, Luc; Randria, Mamy Jean de Dieu; Hong, Eva; Paranhos-Baccalà, Glaucia; Taha, Muhamed-Kheir; Rakoto-Andrianarivelo, Mala

    2017-02-01

    The resurgence of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W with sequence type ST-11 (cc11) was observed in Madagascar in 2015-2016. Three cases were investigated in this study. Molecular characterization of the strains suggests the local transmission of a single genotype that may have been circulating for years. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  1. Tetracycline resistance and TetM in oral anaerobic bacteria and Neisseria perflava-N. sicca.

    OpenAIRE

    Roberts, M C; Moncla, B J

    1988-01-01

    Tetracycline-resistant organisms isolated from six patients with periodontal disease included Bacteroides spp., Eubacterium spp., Fusobacterium nucleatum, Neisseria perflava-N. sicca, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Veillonella parvula, and facultative streptococci. All but the Bacteroides spp. and Eubacterium spp. hybridized with the TetM determinant. An additional 417 bacterial strains were screened, and 4% of both the oral streptococci and the Fusobacterium spp. hybridized with the TetM probe.

  2. Measuring the impact of HIV and STIs in a community in a coal mining town, Mpumalanga, South Africa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hurkchand, H.; Makuluma, H.; Molefe, N.; Molapo, M.

    2005-07-01

    A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2001 to establish the prevalence rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea) in a coalmining town in Mpumalanga. HIV prevalence in this community is high, and corresponds to national figures. However, the prevalence of STIs is surprisingly low as it would be expected to be high in a migrant population. Although communities are exposed to expanding peer-education activities that encourage behaviour change, the prevalence of HIV in this group. There is an urgent need for interventions designed to treat or prevent HIV infection in women generally and in women at high risk.

  3. Should we still be testing for asymptomatic non-specific urethritis in departments of genitourinary medicine?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horner, P J

    2005-04-01

    It has recently been advocated that non-invasive testing with first-catch urine specimens using nucleic acid amplification techniques, to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, should replace routine microscopy on asymptomatic men. Although it is assumed that this strategy will be cost effective, the available evidence suggests that this will result in fewer sexually transmitted infections being averted than continuing the current practice of screening for urethritis and testing for both microorganisms in asymptomatic men. This review article summarizes the available evidence and argues that research is urgently needed in order to properly evaluate the cost-effectiveness of detecting urethritis in asymptomatic men.

  4. Lymphogranuloma venereum in an Italian MSM: concurrent pharyngeal and rectal infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foschi, Claudio; Filippini, Andrea; D'Antuono, Antonietta; Compri, Monica; Macca, Francesca; Banzola, Nicoletta; Marangoni, Antonella

    2014-07-01

    An Italian HIV-positive man having sex with men (MSM) attended the STIs Outpatients Clinic of Sant'Orsola Hospital in Bologna complaining of anal pain and constipation. According to patient's sexual history and repertoires, NAAT testing for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) was performed. Pharyngeal and anal swabs resulted positive for CT DNA detection and the following molecular genotyping identified a L2 serovar, coming to the final diagnosis of pharyngeal and rectal lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) infection. After an antibiotic therapy with doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 3 weeks, the patient completely recovered and the test of cure was negative for LGV infection.

  5. Aplicación de una biblioteca de anticuerpos lineales humanos frente al polisacárido capsular de Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emigdio León-Toirac

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo B produce aún morbimortalidad significativa. Su polisacárido capsular muestra similitud estructural con proteínas humanas y pobre inmunogenicidad, obstaculizando así el desarrollo de vacunas y anticuerpos monoclonales (AcM y policlonales contra esta bacteria. Recientemente se han creado bibliotecas artificiales de anticuerpos humanos expresados en bacteriófagos que reconocen específicamente a moléculas diana existentes, con la ventaja sobre los AcM convencionales por su rápida obtención, sin utilización de animales de laboratorio, lo que emerge como alternativa atractiva para la producción de AcM contra antígenos peculiares o complejos. Se realizó un trabajo de investigación básica, utilizando una biblioteca de fagos filamentosos que expresan constitutivamente regiones variables de anticuerpos humanos, que se enfrentó al polisacárido capsular de N. meningitidis serogrupo B. Los resultados que se obtuvieron mediante ELISA policlonal sugieren la existencia de anticuerpos humanos expresados en fagos que lo reconocen.

  6. Structural, functional and immunogenic insights on Cu,Zn Superoxide Dismutase pathogenic virulence factors from Neisseria meningitidis and Brucella abortus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacterial pathogens Neisseria meningitidis and Brucella abortus pose threats to human and animal health worldwide, causing meningococcal disease and brucellosis, respectively. Mortality from acute N. meningitidis infections remains high despite antibiotics, and brucellosis presents alimentary and he...

  7. fbpABC gene cluster in Neisseria meningitidis is transcribed as an operon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khun, H H; Deved, V; Wong, H; Lee, B C

    2000-12-01

    The neisserial fbpABC locus has been proposed to constitute a single transcriptional unit. To confirm this operonic arrangement, transcription assays using reverse transcriptase PCR amplification were conducted with Neisseria meningitidis. The presence of fbpAB and fbpBC transcripts obtained by priming cDNA synthesis with an fbpC-sequence-specific oligonucleotide indicates that fbpABC is organized as a single expression unit. The ratio of fbpA to fbpABC mRNA was approximately between 10- to 20-fold, as determined by real-time quantitative PCR.

  8. Representational difference analysis of Neisseria meningitidis identifies sequences that are specific for the hyper-virulent lineage III clone

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bart, A.; Dankert, J.; van der Ende, A.

    2000-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis may cause meningitis and septicemia. Since the early 1980s, an increased incidence of meningococcal disease has been caused by the lineage III clone in many countries in Europe and in New Zealand. We hypothesized that lineage III meningococci have specific DNA sequences,

  9. Patient-delivered partner treatment for male urethritis: a randomized, controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kissinger, Patricia; Mohammed, Hamish; Richardson-Alston, Gwangi; Leichliter, Jami S; Taylor, Stephanie N; Martin, David H; Farley, Thomas A

    2005-09-01

    Traditional partner referral for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is ineffective at assuring that partners are treated. Alternative methods are needed. We sought to determine whether patient-delivered partner treatment (PDPT) is better than 2 different methods of partner referral in providing antibiotic treatment to sex partners of men with urethritis and in reducing recurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Men who received a diagnosis of urethritis at a public STD clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana, during the period of December 2001 through March 2004 were randomly assigned according to the month of treatment for either standard partner referral (PR), booklet-enhanced partner referral (BEPR), or PDPT. At baseline and after 1 month, men were asked to provide information about each partner and were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae. Most enrolled index men (n = 977) were > 24 years of age (51.6%) and African American (95%) and had > or = 2 partners (68.3%). They reported information on 1991 partners, and 78.8% were reinterviewed 4-8 weeks later. Men in the PDPT arm were more likely than men in the BEPR and PR arms to report having seen their partners, having talked to their partners about the infection, having given the intervention to their partners, and having been told by their partners that the antibiotic treatment had been taken (55.8%, 45.6%, and 35.0%, respectively; P < .001). Of men who were reinterviewed, 37.5% agreed to follow-up testing for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis infection. Those tested were similar to those not tested with regard to the study variables measured. Among those tested, men in the PDPT and BEPR arms were less likely than those in the PR arm to test positive for C. trachomatis and/or N. gonorrhoeae (23.0%, 14.3%, and 42.7%, respectively; P < .001). Among heterosexual men with urethritis, PDPT was better than standard partner referral for treatment of partners and prevention of recurrence of C

  10. Neisseria meningitidis presenting as acute abdomen and recurrent reactive pericarditis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karolina Akinosoglou

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Meningococcal meningitis is a well established potential fatal infection characterized by fever, headache, petechial rash, and vomiting in the majority of cases. However, protean manifestations including abdominal pain, sore throat, diarrhea and cough, even though rare, should not be overlooked. Similarly, although disseminated infection could potentially involve various organ-targets, secondary immune related complications including joints or pericardium should be dealt with caution, since they remain unresponsive to appropriate antibiotic regimens. We hereby report the rare case of an otherwise healthy adult female, presenting with acute abdominal pain masking Neisseria meningitidis serotype B meningitis, later complicated with recurrent reactive pericarditis despite appropriate antibiotic treatment. There follows a review of current literature.

  11. A Brief History of Evolving Diagnostics and Therapy for Gonorrhea: Lessons Learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hook, Edward W; Kirkcaldy, Robert D

    2018-04-05

    Progressively decreasing susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to the antibiotics recommended for treatment has raised concerns about the public health threat of antibiotic resistant gonorrhea. This is not a new process and the organism has reliably developed resistance to all modern antibiotics used for treatment since the dawn of the antibiotic era. The history of changing recommendations for gonorrhea therapy however is complex and has been influenced by diagnostic test methods and surveillance. Understanding the impact of these influences may provide insights into current approaches to address this re-emerging public health challenge. We reviewed available literature on gonococcal susceptibility to therapeutic agents since the 1930s, changing methods for gonorrhea diagnosis, and public health recommendations for gonorrhea treatment. The literature review was supplemented by qualitative interviews with senior investigators who helped to shape gonorrhea management strategies over the past 50 years. The process of development of antimicrobial resistance to the antibiotics widely used for treatment appears to be an inexorable process. Many currently voiced concerns are similar to those raised in the past. The public health threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance by N. gonorrhoeae has been amplified as a result of a smaller pipeline introducing new drugs for gonorrhea treatment. Improved methods for gonorrhea diagnosis have also repeatedly influenced appreciation of the burden of disease caused by N. gonorrhoeae. U.S. Public Health Service leadership has also shaped and improved the management of this important public health problem.

  12. Nanobiocomposite platform based on polyaniline-iron oxide-carbon nanotubes for bacterial detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Renu; Verma, Rachna; Sumana, G; Srivastava, Avanish Kumar; Sood, Seema; Gupta, Rajinder K; Malhotra, B D

    2012-08-01

    The nanocomposite based on polyaniline (PANI)-iron oxide nanoparticles (nFe(3)O(4)) and multi walled carbon-nanotubes (CNT) has been fabricated onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass plate via facile electrochemical synthesis of polyaniline in presence of nFe(3)O(4) (~20 nm) and CNT (20-80 nm in diameter). The results of transmission electron microscopic studies show evidence of coating of PANI and nFe(3)O(4) onto the CNT. The PANI-nFe(3)O(4)-CNT/ITO nanoelectrode has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy studies. The biotinylated nucleic acid probe sequence consisting of 20 bases has been immobilized onto PANI-nFe(3)O(4)-CNT/ITO nanoelectrode using biotin-avidin coupling. It is shown that the PANI-nFe(3)O(4)-CNT platform based biosensor can be used to specifically detect bacteria (N. gonorrhoeae) at minute concentration as low as (1×10(-19) M) indicating high sensitivity within 45 s of hybridization time at 298 K by differential pulse voltammetry using methylene blue as electroactive indicator. This bacterial sensor has also been tested with 4 positive and 4 negative PCR amplicons of gonorrhoea affected patient samples. The results of these studies have implications towards the fabrication of a handheld device for Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection that may perhaps result in a decrease in the human immunodeficiency virus infections. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Meningococcemia crónica Chronic menigococcemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge V. Martínez

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available La meningococcemia crónica es una forma clínica infrecuente dentro del espectro de infecciones producido por Neisseria meningitidis. Clásicamente esta forma clínica se caracteriza por fiebre, lesiones cutáneas, compromiso articular, y desarrollo en hemocultivo de la bacteria responsable, habitualmente con ausencia de compromiso meníngeo. Generalmente afecta a adultos jóvenes previamente sanos. Se desconoce la razón por la cual estos pacientes, a diferencia de los que presentan meningitis aguda por Neisseria meningitidis y meningococcemia aguda, pueden sobrevivir sin complicaciones durante semanas en ausencia de tratamiento antibiótico útil. Se ha planteado que debido a la alta sensibilidad de esta bacteria a los antibióticos beta-lactámicos, muchos casos podrían ser tratados inadvertidamente. Describimos un caso de meningococcemia crónica en una mujer joven que presenta un cuadro clásico no reconocido inicialmente.Chronic meningococcemia is an unfrequent clinical picture within the spectrum of infections produced by Neisseria meningitidis. It is classically characterized by fever, skin lesions and joint involvement, usually without meningeal involvement, and with blood culture growth of the responsible bacteria. It generally affects previously healthy young people. It is unknown why these patients, unlike patients with Neisseria meningitidis’s acute meningitis and with acute meningococcemia, can survive without complications during weeks, in abscence of an useful antibiotic treatment. It has been hypothesized that owing to high susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics of Neisseria meningitidis, many cases may be treated inadvertently. We describe a case of chronic meningococcemia in a young woman who presented a classical clinical picture, not recognized initially.

  14. Prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomonas in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Simon; Smith, Lucy Watchirs; Fairley, Christopher K; Hocking, Jane

    2016-04-01

    Higher notification rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are reported among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) compared with non-Aboriginal people in Australia. The aim of this study is to estimate the pooled prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomonas among Aboriginal people in Australia by sex, age-group, setting (clinic vs population/community-based) and population group [adults, pregnant females, young people (12-29 years) and prisoners]. The databases Medline, PubMed and Web of Science were searched in May 2015. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of the four STIs in Aboriginal people and if possible, by gender, age-group, setting and population group. A total of 46 studies were included. The pooled prevalence was 11.2% (95%CI: 9.4-13.0%) for chlamydia (36 studies), 12.5% (95%CI: 10.5-14.6%) for gonorrhoea (28 studies), 16.8% (95%CI: 11.0-22.6%) for syphilis (13 studies) and 22.6% (95%CI: 18.5-26.7%) for trichomonas (11 studies); however, there was significant heterogeneity between studies (I(2) Aboriginal people through community-based programs that target asymptomatic young people.

  15. [Epidemiologic and therapeutic study on gonococcal infections--clinical efficacy of cefetamet pivoxil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, M; Kumamoto, Y; Hirose, T; Hayashi, K; Tsukamoto, T; Gohro, T; Ikegaki, S; Kamito, H; Inoke, T; Henmi, I

    1990-07-01

    We studied the epidemiology of 109 cases of gonococcal infections (105 males with urethritis and 4 females with cervicitis), together with the basic and clinical effects of cefetamet pivoxil in the cases. The peak of age distribution of the male patients was in the younger half of their twenties, and all of the 4 female cases were between 20 and 39 years old. The major source of infections in the males younger than 25 years old was their girl friends or so-called pick-up friends, and that of the males older than 25 years old workers serving at an amusement center, for example, bars and so-called special massage parlor, which accounted for about three fourths of the male cases between 35 and 44 years old. The distribution of the MIC (inoculum size; 10(6) CFU/ml) of Cefetamet against beta-lactamase non penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (non-PPNG) ranged from 0.025 to 0.1 microgram/ml and that against beta-lactamase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae ranged from 0.025 to 0.05 microgram/ml. The isolation rate of PPNG was 10.2% (9/88). In male patients with gonococcal urethritis, the efficacy rate was 100% on days 3 and 7 for 1,000 mg single dose and 7-day treatment and 500 mg single dose treatment. One of the cases treated with 250 mg single dose therapy was unchanged at 3, but the efficacy rate of the remaining cases was 100% at day 7. Complicated urethritis with C. trachomatis was noticed in 25.7% (5/105) of the male urethritis and in 25.0% (1/4) of the female cervicitis cases. The only side effect was diarrhea observed in 1 of the 124 case (0.8%).

  16. Evaluating HIV Prevention Programs: Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Antibodies as Biomarker for Sexual Risk Behavior in Young Adults in Resource-Poor Countries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliane Behling

    Full Text Available Measuring effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions is challenged by bias when using self-reported knowledge, attitude or behavior change. HIV incidence is an objective marker to measure effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions, however, because new infection rates are relatively low, prevention studies require large sample sizes. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2 is similarly transmitted and more prevalent and could thus serve as a proxy marker for sexual risk behavior and therefore HIV infection.HSV-2 antibodies were assessed in a sub-study of 70,000 students participating in an education intervention in Western Province, Kenya. Feasibility of testing for HSV-2 antibodies was assessed comparing two methods using Fisher's exact test. Three hundred and ninety four students (aged 18 to 22 years were randomly chosen from the cohort and tested for HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Out of these, 139 students were tested for HSV-2 with ELISA and surveyed for sexual risk behavior and 89 students were additionally tested for HSV-2 with a point-of-contact (POC test.Prevalence rates were 0.5%, 1.8%, 0.3% and 2.3% for HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis, respectively. Prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies was 3.4 % as measured by POC test (n=89 and 14.4 % by ELISA (n=139. Specificity of the POC test compared with ELISA was 100%, and the sensitivity only 23.1%. Associations between self-reported sexual behavior and HSV-2 serostatus could not be shown.Associations between self-reported sexual risk behavior and HSV-2 serostatus could not be shown, probably due to social bias in interviews since its transmission is clearly linked. HSV-2 antibody testing is feasible in resource-poor settings and shows higher prevalence rates than other sexually transmitted diseases thus representing a potential biomarker for evaluation of HIV prevention interventions.

  17. Structure of the P{sub II} signal transduction protein of Neisseria meningitidis at 1.85 Å resolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nichols, Charles E. [Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Sainsbury, Sarah; Berrow, Nick S.; Alderton, David [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Saunders, Nigel J. [The Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE (United Kingdom); Stammers, David K. [Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Owens, Raymond J., E-mail: ray@strubi.ox.ac.uk [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom)

    2006-06-01

    The structure of the P{sub II} signal transduction protein of N. meningitidis at 1.85 Å resolution is described. The P{sub II} signal transduction proteins GlnB and GlnK are implicated in the regulation of nitrogen assimilation in Escherichia coli and other enteric bacteria. P{sub II}-like proteins are widely distributed in bacteria, archaea and plants. In contrast to other bacteria, Neisseria are limited to a single P{sub II} protein (NMB 1995), which shows a high level of sequence identity to GlnB and GlnK from Escherichia coli (73 and 62%, respectively). The structure of the P{sub II} protein from N. meningitidis (serotype B) has been solved by molecular replacement to a resolution of 1.85 Å. Comparison of the structure with those of other P{sub II} proteins shows that the overall fold is tightly conserved across the whole population of related proteins, in particular the positions of the residues implicated in ATP binding. It is proposed that the Neisseria P{sub II} protein shares functions with GlnB/GlnK of enteric bacteria.

  18. Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Male Urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachmann, Laura H; Manhart, Lisa E; Martin, David H; Seña, Arlene C; Dimitrakoff, Jordan; Jensen, Jørgen Skov; Gaydos, Charlotte A

    2015-12-15

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis are well-documented urethral pathogens, and the literature supporting Mycoplasma genitalium as an etiology of urethritis is growing. Trichomonas vaginalis and viral pathogens (herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 and adenovirus) can cause urethritis, particularly in specific subpopulations. New data are emerging regarding the potential role of bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria in urethritis, although results are inconsistent regarding the pathogenic role of Ureaplasma urealyticum in men. Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma parvum do not appear to be pathogens. Men with suspected urethritis should undergo evaluation to confirm urethral inflammation and etiologic cause. Although nucleic acid amplification testing would detect N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis (or T. vaginalis if utilized), there is no US Food and Drug Administration-approved clinical test for M. genitalium available in the United States at this time. The varied etiologies of urethritis and lack of diagnostic options for some organisms present treatment challenges in the clinical setting. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Ultraviolet irradiation disrupts somatic pili structure and function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silverblatt, F.J.

    1979-09-01

    Three piliated bacterial species were exposed to ultraviolet light and the effect of increasing duration of irradiation on the integrity of the somatic pili was quantitated by negative-stain electron microscopy. Heavily piliated Proteus mirabilis became devoid of pili after 20 min of irradiation, but Escherichia coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae required 40 min for complete depiliation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that new, small molecular weight fragments appeared after irradiation of purified E. coli pili, suggesting that cleavage of the peptide chain rather than dissociation of pilin monomers accounted for the loss of pili structure. These observations indicate that the ultrastructural integrity and function of pili can be disrupted by ultraviolet light.

  20. Sexually transmitted infections and pre-exposure prophylaxis: challenges and opportunities among men who have sex with men in the US.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Hyman M; Klausner, Jeffrey D

    2016-01-01

    Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has shown high efficacy in preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in several large clinical trials, and more recently in "real world" reports of clinical implementation and a PrEP demonstration project. Those studies also demonstrated high bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence and raised the discussion of how PrEP may impact STI control efforts, especially in the setting of increasing Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance and the increase in syphilis cases among MSM. Here, we discuss STIs as a driver of HIV transmission risk among MSM, and the potential opportunities and challenges for STI control afforded by expanded PrEP implementation among high-risk MSM.

  1. Estimating prevalence trends in adult gonorrhoea and syphilis in low- and middle-income countries with the Spectrum-STI model: results for Zimbabwe and Morocco from 1995 to 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korenromp, Eline L; Mahiané, Guy; Rowley, Jane; Nagelkerke, Nico; Abu-Raddad, Laith; Ndowa, Francis; El-Kettani, Amina; El-Rhilani, Houssine; Mayaud, Philippe; Chico, R Matthew; Pretorius, Carel; Hecht, Kendall; Wi, Teodora

    2017-12-01

    To develop a tool for estimating national trends in adult prevalence of sexually transmitted infections by low- and middle-income countries, using standardised, routinely collected programme indicator data. The Spectrum-STI model fits time trends in the prevalence of active syphilis through logistic regression on prevalence data from antenatal clinic-based surveys, routine antenatal screening and general population surveys where available, weighting data by their national coverage and representativeness. Gonorrhoea prevalence was fitted as a moving average on population surveys (from the country, neighbouring countries and historic regional estimates), with trends informed additionally by urethral discharge case reports, where these were considered to have reasonably stable completeness. Prevalence data were adjusted for diagnostic test performance, high-risk populations not sampled, urban/rural and male/female prevalence ratios, using WHO's assumptions from latest global and regional-level estimations. Uncertainty intervals were obtained by bootstrap resampling. Estimated syphilis prevalence (in men and women) declined from 1.9% (95% CI 1.1% to 3.4%) in 2000 to 1.5% (1.3% to 1.8%) in 2016 in Zimbabwe, and from 1.5% (0.76% to 1.9%) to 0.55% (0.30% to 0.93%) in Morocco. At these time points, gonorrhoea estimates for women aged 15-49 years were 2.5% (95% CI 1.1% to 4.6%) and 3.8% (1.8% to 6.7%) in Zimbabwe; and 0.6% (0.3% to 1.1%) and 0.36% (0.1% to 1.0%) in Morocco, with male gonorrhoea prevalences 14% lower than female prevalence. This epidemiological framework facilitates data review, validation and strategic analysis, prioritisation of data collection needs and surveillance strengthening by national experts. We estimated ongoing syphilis declines in both Zimbabwe and Morocco. For gonorrhoea, time trends were less certain, lacking recent population-based surveys. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted

  2. Crystal structure of the iron-regulated outer membrane lipoprotein FrpD (NMB0584) from Neisseria meningitidis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sviridova, E.; Bumba, Ladislav; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Šebo, Peter; Kutá-Smatanová, Ivana

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 12, č. 1 (2012), s. 49-49 ISSN 1210-8529. [10th Discussions in Structural Molecular Biology. 22.03.2012-24.03.2012, Nové Hrady] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/11/0717 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506; CEZ:AV0Z60870520; CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : Neisseria meningitidis * FrpD Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

  3. Phenotypic and genotypic changes in a new clone complex of Neisseria meningitidis causing disease in The Netherlands, 1958-1990

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, R. J.; Poolman, J. T.; Valkenburg, H. A.; Bijlmer, H. A.; Dankert, J.; Caugant, D. A.

    1994-01-01

    To characterize the phenotypic and genotypic changes that occurred in a new clone lineage of Neisseria meningitidis (lineage III) in the Netherlands, the electrophoretic type (ET) was determined for 79 serogroup B isolates of serotype 4 or subtype P1.4 (or both) obtained between 1958 and 1990 from

  4. Improved purification of native meningococcal porin PorB and studies on its structure/function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massari, Paola; King, Carol A; MacLeod, Heather; Wetzler, Lee M

    2005-12-01

    The outer membrane protein PorB of Neisseria meningitidis is a pore-forming protein which has various effects on eukaryotic cells. It has been shown to (1) up-regulate the surface expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD86 and of MHC class II (which are TLR2/MyD88 dependent and related to the porin's immune-potentiating ability), (2) be involved in prevention of apoptosis by modulating the mitochondrial membrane potential, and (3) form pores in eukaryotic cells. As an outer membrane protein, its native trimeric form isolation is complicated by its insoluble nature, requiring the presence of detergent throughout the whole procedure, and by its tight association with other outer membrane components, such as neisserial LOS or lipoproteins. In this study, an improved chromatographic purification method to obtain an homogeneous product free of endotoxin and lipoprotein is described, without loss of any of the above-mentioned properties of the porin. Furthermore, we have investigated the requirement of the native trimeric structure for the porin's activity. Inactivation of functional PorB trimers into non-functional monomers was achieved by incubation on ice. Thus, routine long- and medium-term storage at low temperature may be a cause of porin inactivation.

  5. Interlaboratory comparison of agar dilution and Etest methods for determining the MICs of antibiotics used in management of Neisseria meningitidis infections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vázquez, Julio A.; Arreaza, Luisa; Block, Colin; Ehrhard, Ingrid; Gray, Stephen J.; Heuberger, Sigrid; Hoffmann, Steen; Kriz, Paula; Nicolas, Pierre; Olcen, Per; Skoczynska, Anna; Spanjaard, Lodewijk; Stefanelli, Paola; Taha, Muhamed-Kheir; Tzanakaki, Georgina

    2003-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that there is considerable variation in the methods and media used to determine the susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis to antimicrobial agents in different countries. In this study, national and regional reference laboratories used a standardized methodology to

  6. Preliminary crystallographic data of the three homologues of the thiol–disulfide oxidoreductase DsbA in Neisseria meningitidis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lafaye, Céline [Laboratoire des Protéines Membranaires, Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA/CNRS/Université Joseph Fourier, 41 Rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble CEDEX 01 (France); Iwena, Thomas; Ferrer, Jean-Luc [Laboratoire de Cristallogénèse et Cristallisation des Protéines, Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA/CNRS/Université Joseph Fourier, 41 Rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble CEDEX 01 (France); Kroll, J. Simon [Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG (United Kingdom); Griat, Mickael; Serre, Laurence, E-mail: laurence.serre@ibs.fr [Laboratoire des Protéines Membranaires, Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA/CNRS/Université Joseph Fourier, 41 Rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble CEDEX 01 (France)

    2008-02-01

    The Neisseria meningitidis genome possesses three genes encoding active DsbAs. To throw light on the reason for this genetic multiplicity, the three enzymes have been purified and crystallized. Bacterial virulence depends on the correct folding of surface-exposed proteins, a process that is catalyzed by the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase DsbA, which facilitates the synthesis of disulfide bonds in Gram-negative bacteria. Uniquely among bacteria, the Neisseria meningitidis genome possesses three genes encoding active DsbAs: DsbA1, DsbA2 and DsbA3. DsbA1 and DsbA2 have been characterized as lipoproteins involved in natural competence and in host-interactive biology, while the function of DsbA3 remains unknown. In an attempt to shed light on the reason for this multiplicity of dsbA genes, the three enzymes from N. meningitidis have been purified and crystallized in the presence of high concentrations of ammonium sulfate. The best crystals were obtained using DsbA1 and DsbA3; they belong to the orthorhombic and tetragonal systems and diffract to 1.5 and 2.7 Å resolution, respectively.

  7. Purificación de lipopolisacárido de Neisseria meningitidis a partir de una fracción colateral del proceso de producción de VA-MENGOC-BC®

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio A. Balboa

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available El trabajo tuvo como objetivo purificar lipopolisacáridos (LPS de Neisseria meningitidis a partir de una fracción colateral del proceso de producción de la vacuna antimeningocócica VA-MENGOC-BC®, el sobrenadante que se obtiene del paso de ultracentrifugación durante el proceso de extracción de las proteínas de membrana externa del meningococo. La purificación se realizó mediante precipitación con etanol al 80%, extracción de las proteínas con fenol al 90% entre 65-70 ºC y ultracentrifugación fraccionada a 105,000 g. Se obtuvieron tres lotes de LPS, en total 1,069 g, con un contenido de proteínas, ácidos nucleicos y ácido sálico respecto al LPS de 0,5%, 0,3% y 2,2% (m/m respectivamente. La evaluación por cromatografía mostró una alta integridad molecular, con valores de constante de distribución reproducibles (0,36-0,38 y una posible asociación del ácido siálico al LPS. Se apreció homogeneidad en el perfil electroforético de los tres lotes y alta actividad endotóxica. El LPS purificado fue identificado fundamentalmente como del inmunotipo L3,7,9. El procedimiento de purificación empleado permite aprovechar una fracción colateral del proceso de producción de la vacuna, es escalable, no incluye métodos cromatográficos, y posibilita la obtención de gran cantidad de LPS de Neisseria meningitidis, no disponible en el mercado, con elevada pureza y alta actividad endotóxica.

  8. Meatal Swabs Contain Less Cellular Material and Are Associated with a Decrease in Gram Stain Smear Quality Compared to Urethral Swabs in Men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Stephen J; Schwebke, Jane R; Aaron, Kristal J; Van Der Pol, Barbara; Hook, Edward W

    2017-07-01

    Urethral swabs are the samples of choice for point-of-care Gram stain testing to diagnose Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection and nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men. As an alternative to urethral swabs, meatal swabs have been recommended for the collection of urethral discharge to diagnose N. gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection in certain populations by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), as they involve a less invasive collection method. However, as meatal swabs could be sampling a reduced surface area and result in fewer collected epithelial cells compared to urethral swabs, the adequacy of meatal swab specimens to collect sufficient cellular material for Gram stain testing remains unknown. We enrolled 66 men who underwent either urethral or meatal swabbing and compared the cellular content and Gram stain failure rate. We measured the difference in swab cellular content using the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG sample adequacy control crossing threshold (SAC CT ) and determined the failure rate of Gram stain smears (GSS) due to insufficient cellular material. In the absence of discharge, meatal smears were associated with a significant reduction in cellular content ( P = 0.0118), which corresponded with a GSS failure rate significantly higher than that for urethral swabs (45% versus 3%, respectively; P < 0.0001). When discharge was present, there was no difference among results from urethral and meatal swabs. Therefore, if GSS testing is being considered for point-of-care diagnosis of N. gonorrhoeae infection or NGU in men, meatal swabs should be avoided in the absence of a visible discharge. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  9. Use of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Guidelines for Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing in New York State Laboratories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiehlbauch, Julia A.; Hannett, George E.; Salfinger, Max; Archinal, Wendy; Monserrat, Catherine; Carlyn, Cynthia

    2000-01-01

    Accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing is vital for patient care and surveillance of emerging antimicrobial resistance. The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) outlines generally agreed upon guidelines for reliable and reproducible results. In January 1997 we surveyed 320 laboratories participating in the New York State Clinical Evaluation Program for General Bacteriology proficiency testing. Our survey addressed compliance with NCCLS susceptibility testing guidelines for bacterial species designated a problem (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species) or fastidious (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae) organism. Specifically, we assessed compliance with guidelines for inoculum preparation, medium choice, number of disks per plate, and incubation conditions for disk diffusion tests. We also included length of incubation for S. aureus and Enterococcus species. We found overall compliance with the five characteristics listed above in 80 of 153 responding laboratories (50.6%) for S. aureus and 72 of 151 (47.7%) laboratories for Enterococcus species. The most common problem was an incubation time shortened to less than 24 h. Overall compliance with the first four characteristics was reported by 92 of 221 (41.6%) laboratories for S. pneumoniae, 49 of 163 (30.1%) laboratories for H. influenzae, and 11 of 77 (14.3%) laboratories for N. gonorrhoeae. Laboratories varied from NCCLS guidelines by placing an excess number of disks per plate. Laboratories also reported using alternative media for Enterococcus species, N. gonorrhoeae, and H. influenzae. This study demonstrates a need for education among clinical laboratories to increase compliance with NCCLS guidelines. PMID:10970381

  10. Neisseria meningitidis: a neglected cause of infectious haemorrhagic fever in the amazon rainforest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barroso, David E; Silva, Luciete A

    2007-12-01

    Neisseria meningitidis has not been seen as a significant cause of infectious haemorrhagic fever in the Amazon inlands; most reported cases are from the city of Manaus, the capital of the State of Amazonas. This picture is sustained by the lack of reliable microbiology laboratories, the perception of the health care workers, and the difficult to reach medical assistance; thus the number of confirmed cases is even lower with no reference of the strains phenotype. We report here the investigation of a case of suspected meningococcemia and his close contacts in a rural community in the Coari Lake, up the Amazon River.

  11. Refolding, purification and crystallization of the FrpB outer membrane iron transporter from Neisseria meningitidis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saleem, Muhammad; Prince, Stephen M.; Patel, Hema; Chan, Hannah; Feavers, Ian M.; Derrick, Jeremy P.

    2012-01-01

    The refolding, purification and crystallization of FrpB from the meningitis pathogen Neisseria meningitidis is described. FrpB is an integral outer membrane protein from the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. It is a member of the TonB-dependent transporter family and promotes the uptake of iron across the outer membrane. There is also evidence that FrpB is an antigen and hence a potential component of a vaccine against meningococcal meningitis. FrpB incorporating a polyhistidine tag was overexpressed in Escherichia coli into inclusion bodies. The protein was then solubilized in urea, refolded and purified to homogeneity. Two separate antigenic variants of FrpB were crystallized by sitting-drop vapour diffusion. Crystals of the F5-1 variant diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution and belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 176.5, b = 79.4, c = 75.9 Å, β = 98.3°. Crystal-packing calculations suggested the presence of a monomer in the asymmetric unit. Crystals of the F3-3 variant also diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 85.3, b = 104.6, c = 269.1 Å. Preliminary analysis suggested the presence of an FrpB trimer in the asymmetric unit

  12. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis of Neisseria meningitidis yields groupings similar to those obtained by multilocus sequence typing.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schouls, Leo M; Ende, Arie van der; Damen, Marjolein; Pol, Ingrid van de

    2006-01-01

    We identified many variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci in the genomes of Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, B, and C and utilized a number of these loci to develop a multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Eighty-five N. meningitidis serogroup B and C isolates obtained

  13. Behavioural, emotional, and post-traumatic stress problems in children and adolescents, long term after septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermunt, L. C. A. C.; Buysse, C. M. P.; Joosten, K. F. M.; Hazelzet, J. A.; Verhulst, F. C.; Utens, E. M. W. J.

    2008-01-01

    To assess the occurrence of a wide range of behavioural, emotional, and post-traumatic stress problems in children and adolescents, long term after septic shock caused by Neisseria meningitidis (MSS). This study included 6- to 17-year-old patients who survived MSS and were admitted to the PICU of

  14. Biological Functions of the Secretome of Neisseria meningitidis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Tommassen

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that normally resides as a commensal in the human nasopharynx but occasionally causes disease with high mortality and morbidity. To interact with its environment, it transports many proteins across the outer membrane to the bacterial cell surface and into the extracellular medium for which it deploys the common and well-characterized autotransporter, two-partner and type I secretion mechanisms, as well as a recently discovered pathway for the surface exposure of lipoproteins. The surface-exposed and secreted proteins serve roles in host-pathogen interactions, including adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix proteins, evasion of nutritional immunity imposed by iron-binding proteins of the host, prevention of complement activation, neutralization of antimicrobial peptides, degradation of immunoglobulins, and permeabilization of epithelial layers. Furthermore, they have roles in interbacterial interactions, including the formation and dispersal of biofilms and the suppression of the growth of bacteria competing for the same niche. Here, we will review the protein secretion systems of N. meningitidis and focus on the functions of the secreted proteins.

  15. Comparative Efficacy of Penicillin and Doxycycline in Gonococcal Urethritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinod K Sharma

    1987-01-01

    Full Text Available Ninety two episodes of gonococcal urethritis treated with one of the following regimens viz: (A 3 m. u. of fortified procaine penicillin made by adding 1 m.u. of crystalline penicillin to 2 m.u. of fortified procaine penicillin intramuscularly with one gram of probenecid orally, (B 3 m.u. of above fortified procaine penicillin intramuscularly alone, and (C 400 mg single oral dose of doxycycline produced success rates of 95,76.2 and 66.7% respectively. Post gonococcal urethritis was detected in 37% patients. Thirty four (45.94% of the 74 isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were relatively resistant (MIC 0. 12 units ml to penicillin. None of the 74 Neisseria gonorrhoeac strains was beta lactamase producing.

  16. Expanding the potential of NAI-107 for treating serious ESKAPE pathogens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brunati, Cristina; Thomsen, Thomas T; Gaspari, Eleonora

    2018-01-01

    Objectives: To characterize NAI-107 and related lantibiotics for their in vitro activity against Gram-negative pathogens, alone or in combination with polymyxin, and against non-dividing cells or biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus. NAI-107 was also evaluated for its propensity to select or induce...... showed that NAI-107 and its brominated variant are highly active against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and some other fastidious Gram-negative pathogens. Furthermore, all compounds strongly synergized with polymyxin against Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas...... self-resistance in Gram-positive bacteria. Methods: We used MIC determinations and chequerboard experiments to establish the antibacterial activity of the examined compounds against target microorganisms. Time-kill assays were used to evaluate killing of exponential and stationary-phase cells...

  17. Use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms to investigate strain variation within Neisseria meningitidis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, S.D.

    1989-01-01

    Similarity within bacterial populations is difficult to assess due to the limited number of characters available for evaluation and the heterogeneity of bacterial species. Currently, the preferred method used to evaluate the structure of bacterial populations is multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. However, this method is extremely cumbersome and only offers an indirect measure of genetic similarities. The development of a more direct and less cumbersome method for this purpose is warranted. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was evaluated as a tool for use in the study of bacterial population structures and in the epidemiology and surveillance of infectious disease. A collection of Neisseria meningitidis was available for use in the investigation of this technique. Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis and septicemia as well as a variety of other clinical manifestations. Each isolate in the collection was defined in terms of serogroup specificity, clinical history, geographic source, and date of isolation. Forty-six strains were chosen for this study. The DNA from each strain was restricted with Pst1 and EcoR1 and electrophoresed on agarose gels. The DNA was transferred to nylon filters and hybridized with P{sup 32} labeled DNA probes. Two randomly generated probes and a gene-specific probe were used to estimate the genetic similarities between and among the strains in the study population. A total of 28 different restriction fragment migration types were detected by the probes used. Data obtained from the RFLP analysis was analyzed by cluster analysis and multivariate statistical methods. A total of 7 clones groups were detected. Two of these appear to be major clones that comprise 35% of the population.

  18. Use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms to investigate strain variation within Neisseria meningitidis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, S.D.

    1989-01-01

    Similarity within bacterial populations is difficult to assess due to the limited number of characters available for evaluation and the heterogeneity of bacterial species. Currently, the preferred method used to evaluate the structure of bacterial populations is multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. However, this method is extremely cumbersome and only offers an indirect measure of genetic similarities. The development of a more direct and less cumbersome method for this purpose is warranted. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was evaluated as a tool for use in the study of bacterial population structures and in the epidemiology and surveillance of infectious disease. A collection of Neisseria meningitidis was available for use in the investigation of this technique. Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis and septicemia as well as a variety of other clinical manifestations. Each isolate in the collection was defined in terms of serogroup specificity, clinical history, geographic source, and date of isolation. Forty-six strains were chosen for this study. The DNA from each strain was restricted with Pst1 and EcoR1 and electrophoresed on agarose gels. The DNA was transferred to nylon filters and hybridized with P 32 labeled DNA probes. Two randomly generated probes and a gene-specific probe were used to estimate the genetic similarities between and among the strains in the study population. A total of 28 different restriction fragment migration types were detected by the probes used. Data obtained from the RFLP analysis was analyzed by cluster analysis and multivariate statistical methods. A total of 7 clones groups were detected. Two of these appear to be major clones that comprise 35% of the population

  19. Neisseria meningitidis: a neglected cause of infectious haemorrhagic fever in the amazon rainforest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David E. Barroso

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis has not been seen as a significant cause of infectious haemorrhagic fever in the Amazon inlands; most reported cases are from the city of Manaus, the capital of the State of Amazonas. This picture is sustained by the lack of reliable microbiology laboratories, the perception of the health care workers, and the difficult to reach medical assistance; thus the number of confirmed cases is even lower with no reference of the strains phenotype. We report here the investigation of a case of suspected meningococcemia and his close contacts in a rural community in the Coari Lake, up the Amazon River.

  20. [Neisseria meningitidis urethritis: Two case reports].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubois, C; Liegeon, A-L; Fabbro, C; Truchetet, F

    2017-10-01

    Neisseria meningitidis (NM) is a commensal bacteria present in the oropharyngeal flora that causes invasive infections. There have been rarer reports of presence in the genital region. Herein, we present two cases of acute NM urethritis. Two men aged 30 and 31years, one of whom is homosexual and seropositive for HIV infection, presented urethral discharge which was diagnosed as acute urethritis. The unit through samples indicated the presence of NM of serogroups B and C. One of the antibiotic sensitivity tests revealed intermediate susceptibility to penicillin G and to amoxicillin. The clinical presentation of acute NM urethritis is non-specific, because of which urethral samples should be taken wherever acute urethritis is suspected. NM urethritis is infrequent and primarily affects men who have sex with men (MSM). Its current increase is due to unprotected oral-genital sexual practices. Due to the emergence of resistance to NM, antibiotic susceptibility testing should be carried out routinely to ensure appropriate therapy and prophylaxis. Cases of invasive serogroup C meningococcal infections have been recorded within the MSM population with hypothetical sexual port of entry. Thus, the French High Public Health Authority recommends vaccination against meningitis C in this population. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  1. Eficácia do moxalactam no tratamento de meningites purulentas causadas por Haemophilus infuenzae e Neisseria meningitidis Efficacy of moxalactam in the treatment of purulent meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hagamenon R. da Silva

    1984-03-01

    Full Text Available Foi avaliada a eficácia do moxalactam no tratamento de meningites em crianças, causadas por H. influenzae (27 casos e N.meningitidis (6 casos. Dos 33 doentes tratados na dose de 100mg/Kg de peso (dose de ataque e 50mg de 12/12 horas por via venosa, 32 curaram-se. A tolerância ao produto foi muito boa, havendo alterações transitórias de transaminases e fosfatase alcalina; em um caso, houve hematoma posapendectomia, provavelmente relacionado ao uso deste antibiotico. Os níveis séricos e liquóricos do produto foram elevados; as concentrações no liquor excederam de muito a concentração bactericida mínima dos germes infectantes. O moxalactam se mostrou seguro e eficaz como terapia primária da meningite causada por H. influenzae e N.meningitidis em crianças.The clinical efficacy and safety of Moxalactam in purulent bacterial meningitis in children caused by H. influenzae (27 patients and N. meningitidis (6 patients was tested in a randon uncontrolled study. Clinical response was considered excelent, with cure of 32 of 33 patients. High levels of Moxalactam were achieved in the blood and cerebro-spinal fluid, with concentrations largely exceeding the minimum bacterial concentration (MIC for the infecting organisms. Tolerance was considered good, with only transient increases of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase in some patients; also, one patient developed a wound hematoma possibly related to Moxalactam therapy.

  2. A Neisseria meningitidis fbpABC mutant is incapable of using nonheme iron for growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khun, H H; Kirby, S D; Lee, B C

    1998-05-01

    The neisserial fbpABC locus has been proposed to act as an iron-specific ABC transporter system. To confirm this assigned function, we constructed an fbpABC mutant in Neisseria meningitidis by insertional inactivation of fbpABC with a selectable antibiotic marker. The mutant was unable to use iron supplied from human transferrin, human lactoferrin, or iron chelates. However, the use of iron from heme and human hemoglobin was unimpaired. These results support the obligatory participation of fbpABC in neisserial periplasmic iron transport and do not indicate a role for this genetic locus in the heme iron pathway.

  3. A prospective observational study of vulvovagintis in pregnant women in Argentina, with special reference to candidiasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mucci, María J; Cuestas, María L; Cervetto, María M; Landaburu, María F; Mujica, María T

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the frequency of yeast, bacteria or protozoa in pregnant women and to correlate the possible associations of these microorganisms and their relationships with vulvovaginitis (VV) and cervicitis. Vaginal specimens were collected and prepared for smears in microscope slides for the evaluation of yeast, Trichomonas vaginalis and bacteria. Samples were cultured in specific culture medium. Cervical specimens were used to investigate the presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma hominis. We enrolled 210 pregnant women, aged 10-42 years old. Of them, 38.1% were symptomatic. Symptoms were most prevalent in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy coincident with a major prevalence of microorganisms. In this study, 39.5% of pregnant women had normal microbial biota and symptoms of VV due to non-infectious causes were observed (6.2%). The occurrence of vulvovaginal candidiasis was 25% and Candida albicans with a prevalence of 80.7% was the dominant species (P = 0.005) while non-albicans Candida species and other yeast were more common in asymptomatic ones (P = 0.0038). The frequency of bacterial vaginosis, T. vaginalis, C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae were 18.1%, 1.4, 1.4% and 0.5% respectively. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  4. 2016 European guideline on the management of non-gonococcal urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horner, Patrick J; Blee, Karla; Falk, Lars; van der Meijden, Willem; Moi, Harald

    2016-10-01

    We present the updated International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) guideline for the management of non-gonococcal urethritis in men. This guideline recommends confirmation of urethritis in symptomatic men before starting treatment. It does not recommend testing asymptomatic men for the presence of urethritis. All men with urethritis should be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and ideally Mycoplasma genitalium using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) as this is highly likely to improve clinical outcomes. If a NAAT is positive for gonorrhoea, a culture should be performed before treatment. In view of the increasing evidence that azithromycin 1 g may result in the development of antimicrobial resistance in M. genitalium, azithromycin 1 g is no longer recommended as first line therapy, which should be doxycycline 100 mg bd for seven days. If azithromycin is to be prescribed an extended course of 500 mg stat, then 250 mg daily for four days is to be preferred over 1 g stat. In men with persistent NGU, M. genitalium NAAT testing is recommended if not previously undertaken, as is Trichomonas vaginalis NAAT testing in populations where T. vaginalis is detectable in >2% of symptomatic women. © The Author(s) 2016.

  5. Jacaranda cuspidifolia Mart. (Bignoniaceae) as an antibacterial agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arruda, Ana Lúcia A; Vieira, Carla J B; Sousa, Daniella G; Oliveira, Regilene F; Castilho, Rachel O

    2011-12-01

    This study evaluated, in vitro, the antimicrobial activity of the hexane extract (JCHE), methanol extract (JCME), and chloroform fraction (JCCF) of bark from Jacaranda cuspidifolia Mart. (Family Bignoniaceae), a Brazilian medicinal plant, traditionally used as anti-syphilis and anti-gonorrhea treatment. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion method followed by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. JCHE was not active against the bacteria evaluated. JCME presented antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae with MIC values of 16.3 mg/mL, 9.1 mg/mL, and 25.2 mg/mL, respectively. JCCF was active against Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens, S. pyogenes, Enterobacter aerogenes, and N. gonorrhoeae with MIC values of 18.3 mg/mL, 9.3 mg/mL, 6.3 mg/mL, 6.1 mg/mL, 9.2 mg/mL, 6.2 mg/mL, and 25.2 mg/mL, respectively. Phytochemical analysis of JCME and JCCF gave positive results for saponins, coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, quinones, alkaloids, triterpenes, and steroids. Verbascoside was isolated and identified as a major peak in JCME and JCCF high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprints and might contribute to the observed antimicrobial activity.

  6. Metabolism and virulence in Neisseria meningitidis

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    Christoph eSchoen

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available A longstanding question in infection biology addresses the genetic basis for invasive behaviour in commensal pathogens. A prime example for such a pathogen is Neisseria meningitidis. On the one hand it is a harmless commensal bacterium exquisitely adapted to humans, and on the other hand it sometimes behaves like a ferocious pathogen causing potentially lethal disease such as sepsis and acute bacterial meningitis. Despite the lack of a classical repertoire of virulence genes in N. meningitidis separating commensal from invasive strains, molecular epidemiology suggests that carriage and invasive strains belong to genetically distinct populations. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that metabolic adaptation enables meningococci to exploit host resources, supporting the concept of nutritional virulence as a crucial determinant of invasive capability. Here, we discuss the contribution of core metabolic pathways in the context of colonization and invasion with special emphasis on results from genome-wide surveys. The metabolism of lactate, the oxidative stress response, and, in particular, glutathione metabolism as well as the denitrification pathway provide examples of how meningococcal metabolism is intimately linked to pathogenesis. We further discuss evidence from genome-wide approaches regarding potential metabolic differences between strains from hyperinvasive and carriage lineages and present new data assessing in vitro growth differences of strains from these two populations. We hypothesize that strains from carriage and hyperinvasive lineages differ in the expression of regulatory genes involved particularly in stress responses and amino acid metabolism under infection conditions.

  7. Necrotising fasciitis as atypical presentation of infection with emerging Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W (MenW) clonal complex 11, the Netherlands, March 2017

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Russcher, Anne; Fanoy, Ewout; van Olden, Ger D. J.; Graafland, Antonie D.; van der Ende, Arie; Knol, Mirjam J.

    2017-01-01

    In March 2017, a patient with necrotising fasciitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W (MenW) clonal complex 11 was diagnosed in the Netherlands. Unusual and severe presentations of MenW infections are common in the current European epidemic. In the Netherlands, the incidence of MenW

  8. Impact of the conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, on carriage of serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis and disease transmission

    OpenAIRE

    Kristiansen, Paul Arne

    2013-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis (Nm), also referred to as meningococcus, is a human commensal colonising the oropharynx, transmittable by close contact between healthy people. The bacterium can act as an opportunistic pathogen and cause bacterial meningitis and septicaemia. Meningococci are classified into 12 serogroups based on the composition of their polysaccharide (Ps) capsule. Six of these serogroups, serogroups A, B, C, W, X and Y cause meningococcal disease worldwide. The populations most affec...

  9. Genome wide expression profiling reveals suppression of host defence responses during colonisation by Neisseria meningitides but not N. lactamica.

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    Hazel En En Wong

    Full Text Available Both Neisseria meningitidis and the closely related bacterium Neisseria lactamica colonise human nasopharyngeal mucosal surface, but only N. meningitidis invades the bloodstream to cause potentially life-threatening meningitis and septicaemia. We have hypothesised that the two neisserial species differentially modulate host respiratory epithelial cell gene expression reflecting their disease potential. Confluent monolayers of 16HBE14 human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to live and/or dead N. meningitidis (including capsule and pili mutants and N. lactamica, and their transcriptomes were compared using whole genome microarrays. Changes in expression of selected genes were subsequently validated using Q-RT-PCR and ELISAs. Live N. meningitidis and N. lactamica induced genes involved in host energy production processes suggesting that both bacterial species utilise host resources. N. meningitidis infection was associated with down-regulation of host defence genes. N. lactamica, relative to N. meningitidis, initiates up-regulation of proinflammatory genes. Bacterial secreted proteins alone induced some of the changes observed. The results suggest N. meningitidis and N. lactamica differentially regulate host respiratory epithelial cell gene expression through colonisation and/or protein secretion, and that this may contribute to subsequent clinical outcomes associated with these bacteria.

  10. Comparative effectiveness and acceptability of home-based and clinic-based sampling methods for sexually transmissible infections screening in females aged 14-50 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odesanmi, Tolulope Y; Wasti, Sharada P; Odesanmi, Omolola S; Adegbola, Omololu; Oguntuase, Olubukola O; Mahmood, Sajid

    2013-12-01

    Home-based sampling is a strategy to enhance uptake of sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening. This review aimed to compare the screening uptake levels of home-based self-sampling and clinic-based specimen collection for STIs (chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) and trichomoniasis) in females aged 14-50 years. Acceptability and effect on specimen quality were determined. Sixteen electronic databases were searched from inception to September 2012. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the uptake levels of home-based self-sampling and clinic-based sampling for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis in females aged 14-50 years were eligible for inclusion. The risk of bias in the trials was assessed. Risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes were meta-analysed. Of 3065 papers, six studies with seven RCTs contributed to the final review. Compared with clinic-based methods, home-based screening increased uptake significantly (P=0.001-0.05) in five trials and was substantiated in a meta-analysis (RR: 1.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.30-1.85; P=0.00001) of two trials. In three trials, a significant preference for home-based testing (P=0.001-0.05) was expressed. No significant difference was observed in specimen quality. Sampling was rated as easy by a significantly higher number of women (P=0.01) in the clinic group in one trial. The review provides evidence that home-based testing results in greater uptake of STI screening in females (14-50 years) than clinic-based testing without compromising quality in the developed world. Home collection strategies should be added to clinic-based screening programs to enhance uptake.

  11. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Diagnosis of Mycoplasma genitalium Infection in South African Men With and Without Symptoms of Urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    le Roux, Marie Cecilia; Hoosen, Anwar Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    This study was done to diagnose Mycoplasma genitalium infection based on bacterial load in urine specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic men. Urine specimens from 94 men with visible urethral discharge, 206 with burning on micturition and 75 without symptoms presenting to a family practitioner were tested for M. genitalium as well as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis by transcription-mediated amplification assays. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was used to determine the bacterial load for all specimens in which M. genitalium was the only organism detected. Among the 375 specimens collected, M. genitalium was detected in 59 (15.7%) men (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) using the transcription-mediated amplification assay, and in 45 (12.0%) of the total population, it was the only pathogen detected. One or more pathogens were detected in 129 (43%) of the symptomatic men, with N. gonorrhoeae in 50 (16.7%); C. trachomatis in 37 (12.3%) and T. vaginalis present in 24 (8.0%) patients. Among the 17 patients where mixed infections were detected, M. genitalium with N. gonorrhoeae was the most common (11/17; 64.7%). Patients with visible urethral discharge had significantly higher M. genitalium concentrations than those with burning on micturition. The median M. genitalium load in symptomatic men was significantly higher than that in asymptomatic men. This study confirms the high prevalence of M. genitalium among men with urethritis in South Africa and demonstrates that there is a strong association with M. genitalium bacterial load and clinical urethritis. As the number of organisms increased, the severity of the symptoms increased, an indication of the role that the organism plays in disease progression.

  12. A single 2 g oral dose of extended-release azithromycin for treatment of gonococcal urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Mitsuru; Ito, Shin; Kido, Akira; Hamano, Kiminari; Uchijima, Yutaka; Uwatoko, Noriyasu; Kusuyama, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Akiko; Miyamura, Ryuzou; Miyata, Kazutoyo; Deguchi, Takashi

    2014-11-01

    We treated gonococcal urethritis in men with a single 2 g dose of azithromycin extended-release formulation (azithromycin-SR) to determine its microbiological outcomes and tolerability. We enrolled 189 Japanese men with gonococcal urethritis between April 2009 and December 2013. The patients were given a single 2 g dose of azithromycin-SR. Microbiological efficacy was evaluated by the results of the post-treatment molecular testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. MIC testing was performed only for pretreatment isolates of N. gonorrhoeae collected from the patients. We evaluated 130 patients for microbiological outcomes. Of these patients, 122 (93.8%) were judged to be microbiologically cured on the basis of negative test results. All isolates for which the azithromycin MICs were ≤0.25 mg/L were eradicated, whereas 5 of 12 isolates for which the MICs were 1 mg/L persisted after the treatment. Forty-six adverse events occurred in 41 patients. However, all adverse events were classified as mild. The eradication rate of N. gonorrhoeae was 93.8% in men with gonococcal urethritis treated with a single 2 g dose of azithromycin-SR. The breakpoint MIC of a 2 g dose of azithromycin-SR for gonococcal urethritis associated with clinical treatment failures appeared to be 1 mg/L. With regard to side effects of higher doses of azithromycin, the 2 g dose of azithromycin-SR appeared to improve tolerability. However, the widespread use of a high-dose regimen of azithromycin might lead to the development of further resistance to azithromycin. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Revisiting the Gram-negative lipoprotein paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LoVullo, Eric D; Wright, Lori F; Isabella, Vincent; Huntley, Jason F; Pavelka, Martin S

    2015-05-01

    The processing of lipoproteins (Lpps) in Gram-negative bacteria is generally considered an essential pathway. Mature lipoproteins in these bacteria are triacylated, with the final fatty acid addition performed by Lnt, an apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase. The mature lipoproteins are then sorted by the Lol system, with most Lpps inserted into the outer membrane (OM). We demonstrate here that the lnt gene is not essential to the Gram-negative pathogen Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis strain Schu or to the live vaccine strain LVS. An LVS Δlnt mutant has a small-colony phenotype on sucrose medium and increased susceptibility to globomycin and rifampin. We provide data indicating that the OM lipoprotein Tul4A (LpnA) is diacylated but that it, and its paralog Tul4B (LpnB), still sort to the OM in the Δlnt mutant. We present a model in which the Lol sorting pathway of Francisella has a modified ABC transporter system that is capable of recognizing and sorting both triacylated and diacylated lipoproteins, and we show that this modified system is present in many other Gram-negative bacteria. We examined this model using Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which has the same Lol architecture as that of Francisella, and found that the lnt gene is not essential in this organism. This work suggests that Gram-negative bacteria fall into two groups, one in which full lipoprotein processing is essential and one in which the final acylation step is not essential, potentially due to the ability of the Lol sorting pathway in these bacteria to sort immature apolipoproteins to the OM. This paper describes the novel finding that the final stage in lipoprotein processing (normally considered an essential process) is not required by Francisella tularensis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The paper provides a potential reason for this and shows that it may be widespread in other Gram-negative bacteria. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  14. Mucosal Blood Group Antigen Expression Profiles and HIV Infections: A Study among Female Sex Workers in Kenya.

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    Nadia Musimbi Chanzu

    Full Text Available The ABO blood group antigens are carbohydrate moieties expressed on human red blood cells however; these antigens can also be expressed on some other cells particularly the surface of epithelial cells and may be found in mucosal secretions. In many human populations 80% secrete ABO antigens (termed 'secretors' while 20% do not (termed 'non-secretors'. Furthermore, there are disease conditions that are associated with secretor status.To investigate correlations between secretor status and HIV infection among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya.This cross-sectional study recruited 280 female sex workers aged 18-65 years from the Pumwani Majengo cohort, Kenya. Blood typing was determined by serological techniques using monoclonal antibodies to the ABO blood group antigens. Secretor phenotyping was determined using anti-H specific lectins specific to salivary, vaginal and cervical blood group H antigen using the agglutination inhibition technique and correlated to individual HIV sero-status. Participants were additionally screened for Bacterial vaginosis, Neisseria gonorrhoea and Trichomonas vaginalis.Out of the 280 participants, 212 (75.7% were secretors and 68 (24.3% were non-secretors. The incidence of all infections: HIV, Bacterial vaginosis, Neisseria gonorrhoea and Trichomonas vaginalis was higher among secretors compared to non-secretors. However, this difference was only statistically significant for HIV infection incidence rates: HIV infected secretors (83.7% versus HIV un-infected secretors (71.8% (p = 0.029 Based on ABO phenotype stratification, the incidence of HIV infection was higher among blood group A secretors (26/52 = 50%, in comparison to B (12/39 = 33.3%: p = 0.066, AB (3/9 = 33.3%: p = 0.355, and O secretors (36/112 = 32.1%: p = 0.028.This is the first report to document the variable expression of the ABH blood group antigens profiling secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in the female genital tract among a high-risk population

  15. Circumvention of herd immunity during an outbreak of meningococcal disease could be correlated to escape mutation in the porA gene of Neisseria meningitidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taha, M K; Bichier, E; Perrocheau, A; Alonso, J M

    2001-03-01

    Meningococcal strains isolated during an outbreak were shown to belong to the ET-5 complex and to harbor a mutation in the VR2 region of the porA gene. They were less susceptible to the bactericidal effect of normal human serum than was the ET-5 wild-type strain. These results are of concern, as PorA is a potential target in vaccine design.

  16. Trichomonas vaginalis - an indicator for other sexually transmitted infecting agents

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    Agrawal B

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study is based on 350 women having sexually transmitted diseases and 68 men counterparts. Trichomonas vaginalis was a significant contributor in 216 (61.7% out of 350 female SID cases′ and in 56 (82.3% out of 68 male counterparts. Further, out of 216 cases of T.vaginalis, 41 cases (32.5% were associated with infection with Candida species; 29 (23% with Neisseria gonorrhoea. 18 cases (14.3% with Haemophilus ducreyi and 11 cases (8.7%, Chlamydia trachomatis. Treponema pallidum was observed in 8 cases (6.3% which constituted a low percentage. Present study highlighted the importance of T. vaginalis by showing positivity in two-third cases which suggested that it can be an important indicator for other etiological STD agents in women.

  17. An overview of the role of bacterial infection in male infertility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamed Fanaei

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available An important cause of male infertility is the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract. These infections affect sperm cell function and whole spermatogenesis and also cause deterioration in spermatogenesis, obstruction of the seminal tract, and impairment of spermatozoa function. The most important bacteria associated with genitourinary tract infections include chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and genital mycoplasma species. Inappropriate or delayed therapy of the bacterial infections of the genitourinary tract will lead to reduced fertility and, subsequently in severe cases, infertility. In other words, a good understanding of the interaction between bacterial infections and the reproductive system plays an important role in the treatment of infertile men. In this review article, we will discuss clinical and laboratory findings related to the bacterial infection of the genitourinary tract and its effects on male infertility.

  18. Synthesis, biological activity and computational studies of novel azo-compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashraf, J.; Murtaza, S.; Mughal, E.U.; Sadiq, A.

    2017-01-01

    In the present protocol, we report the synthesis and characterization of some novel azo-compounds starting from 4-methoxyaniline and 4-aminophenazone, which were diazotized at low temperature. 4-nitrophenol, 2-aminobenzoic acid, benzamide, 4-aminobenzoic acid, resorcinol, o-bromonitrobenzene and 2-nitroaniline were used as active aromatic coupling compounds for the second step. The synthesized compounds were investigated for their potential antibacterial activities by using disc diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Shigellasonnei, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains. They were also subjected to antioxidant activities by using DPPH method. Results revealed that the compounds of 4-methoxyaniline and 4-aminophenazone showed good antibacterial activity against all strains, where as some azo-compounds have moderate to good antioxidant activities. Furthermore, these compounds were studied by computational analysis. (author)

  19. Vigilancia de Neisseria meningitidis en Argentina, 1993-2005: distribución de serogrupos, serotipos y serosubtipos causantes de enfermedad invasiva Surveillance of Neisseria meningitidis in Argentina, 1993-2005: Distribution of serogroups, serotypes and serosubtypes isolated from invasive disease

    OpenAIRE

    L. Chiavetta; E. Chávez; A. Ruzic; M. Mollerach; M. Regueira

    2007-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis es agente causal de enfermedades severas como meningitis, bacteriemia y síndrome de shock séptico. Se presenta la distribución en serogrupos, serotipos y serosubtipos de 2244 aislamientos de N. meningitidis obtenidos de cuadros de meningitis y/o meningococcemia durante el período 1993-2005 y analizados en el Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia del INEI-ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán". Estos aislamientos eran provenientes de 33 hospitales de todo el país, conformados en una...

  20. Etiología de la infección cérvico vaginal en pacientes del Hospital Juárez de México Etiology of cervicovaginal infection in Mexican women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rocío Flores-Paz

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Conocer la etiología de la infección cérvico vaginal, con el fin de establecer un diagnóstico acertado que permita ofrecer a las pacientes el tratamiento más apropiado. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: De enero de 1995 a diciembre de 1999 se realizó un estudio bacteriológico a 6 811 muestras de exudado cérvico vaginal de pacientes del Hospital Juárez de México, de la Ciudad de México, con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y los 65 años, que referían leucorrea, prurito, hiperemia y dolor abdominal bajo. RESULTADOS: La frecuencia de infección por cada germen fue G vaginalis, 22.65%, Candida spp, 19.13%, C albicans, 7.8%, T vaginalis, 1.5%, Streptococcus del grupo D, 11.78%, Streptococcus b haemolyticus, 4.59%, E coli, 13.46%, Klebsiella ssp, 2.0%, además de otras enterobacterias menos frecuentes como Citrobacter spp, Enterobacter spp, Pseudomonas spp, M morganii y P mirabilis. El 2.9% presentó anaerobios siempre asociados con G vaginalis. Se aislaron Neisseria spp y N weaveri en 0.15% de las muestras. La N gonorrhoeae no se encontró en ningún caso. Datos comparativos indican que, tanto Streptococcus hemoliticos como E coli tuvieron un marcado incremento en los dos últimos años, siendo el de esta última estadísticamente significativo (pOBJECTIVE: To identify the etiologic agents of cervicovaginal infection in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 1995 to December 1999, bacteriological studies were done in cervical discharge specimens from 6 811 patients aged 13 to 65 years, seen at Hospital Juarez in Mexico City. All patients had leucorrhea, pruritus, hyperemia, and abdominal pain. Statistical significance was assessed using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: The frequencies of infectious agents were as follows: G. vaginalis, 22.65%, Candida spp, 19.13%, C. albicans, 7.8%, T. vaginalis, 1.5%, Streptococcus group D, 11.78%, Streptococcus b hemolytic, 4.59%, E. coli, 13

  1. Role of penA polymorphisms for penicillin susceptibility in Neisseria lactamica and Neisseria meningitidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karch, André; Vogel, Ulrich; Claus, Heike

    2015-10-01

    In meningococci, reduced penicillin susceptibility is associated with five specific mutations in the transpeptidase region of penicillin binding protein 2 (PBP2). We showed that the same set of mutations was present in 64 of 123 Neisseria lactamica strains obtained from a carriage study (MIC range: 0.125-2.0mg/L). The PBP2 encoding penA alleles in these strains were genetically similar to those found in intermediate resistant meningococci suggesting frequent interspecies genetic exchange. Fifty-six N. lactamica isolates with mostly lower penicillin MICs (range: 0.064-0.38mg/L) exhibited only three of the five mutations. The corresponding penA alleles were unique to N. lactamica and formed a distinct genetic clade. PenA alleles with no mutations on the other hand were unique to meningococci. Under penicillin selective pressure, genetic transformation of N. lactamica penA alleles in meningococci was only possible for alleles encoding five mutations, but not for those encoding three mutations; the transfer resulted in MICs comparable to those of meningococci harboring penA alleles that encoded PBP2 with five mutations, but considerably lower than those of the corresponding N. lactamica donor strains. Due to a transformation barrier the complete N. lactamica penA could not be transformed into N. meningitidis. In summary, penicillin MICs in N. lactamica were associated with the number of mutations in the transpeptidase region of PBP2. Evidence for interspecific genetic transfer was only observed for penA alleles associated with higher MICs, suggesting that alleles encoding only three mutations in the transpeptidase region are biologically not effective in N. meningitidis. Factors other than PBP2 seem to be responsible for the high levels of penicillin resistance in N. lactamica. A reduction of penicillin susceptibility in N. meningitidis by horizontal gene transfer from N. lactamica is unlikely to happen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. An Epidemiologic Analysis of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections in Female Federal Prisoners

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    lymphogranuloma venereum (caused by serotypes L1, L2, and L3). Endemic trachoma leads to blindness, whereas inclusion conjunctivitis is associated with the...infection caused by C. trachomatis, lymphogranuloma venereum , is characterized by a swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin area. This can lead to

  3. Nivel de corte de los ELISAs para cuantificación de anticuerpos inducidos por la vacuna antimeningocócica VA-MENGOC-BC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rolando Ochoa

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Para medir el grado de protección inducido por vacunas antimeningocócicas se ha establecido el Ensayo Bactericida en Suero (EBS y se perfeccionan otros ensayos inmunobiológicos, sin embargo, es necesario contar con pruebas sencillas como el ELISA, capaz de evaluar un gran número de muestras. Se estimó el nivel de corte de los ELISAs para la cuantificación de IgG humana contra los antígenos de VA-MENGOC-BC, vacuna antimeningocócica compuesta por vesículas proteicas de membrana externa de meningococo B y polisacárido capsular de meningococo C, con respecto a un panel de muestras de suero de lactantes, caracterizado por Ensayo Bactericida en Sangre Total (EBST. Los valores correspondientes a la máxima sensibilidad y especificidad fueron respectivamente; 2 μg/mL y 12 μg/mL para antipolisacárido C, y 1000 U/mL y 7000 U/mL para antiproteínas de membrana externa. La mayor coincidencia se obtuvo con 6 μg/mL y 2500 U/mL. Se evaluó otro panel de muestras de suero de adolescentes entre 14 y 18 años, por ELISA y EBS para Neisseria meningitidis serogrupos B y C, alcanzándose una buena concordancia. Doce años después de la inmunización con VA-MENGOC-BC persiste una importante concentración de anticuerpos contra los antígenos vacunales en los sueros estudiados.

  4. Structure of the cold-shock domain protein from Neisseria meningitidis reveals a strand-exchanged dimer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, Jingshan [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Nettleship, Joanne E.; Sainsbury, Sarah [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Saunders, Nigel J. [Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE (United Kingdom); Owens, Raymond J., E-mail: ray@strubi.ox.ac.uk [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom)

    2008-04-01

    The X-ray crystal structure of the cold-shock domain protein from N. meningitidis reveals a strand-exchanged dimer. The structure of the cold-shock domain protein from Neisseria meningitidis has been solved to 2.6 Å resolution and shown to comprise a dimer formed by the exchange of two β-strands between protein monomers. The overall fold of the monomer closely resembles those of other bacterial cold-shock proteins. The neisserial protein behaved as a monomer in solution and was shown to bind to a hexathymidine oligonucleotide with a stoichiometry of 1:1 and a K{sub d} of 1.25 µM.

  5. Asymtomatic carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in relation to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae colonization in healthy children: Apropos of 1400 children sampled

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakir, Mustafa; Yagci, Aysegul; Ulger, Nurver; Akbenlioglu, Cengiz; Ilki, Arzu; Soyletir, Guner

    2001-01-01

    Meningococcal disease is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality among children in many parts of the world. Main reservoir of carriage and site of meningococcal dissemination appears to be the upper respiratory tract. Colonization of Neisseria meningitidis and lactamica and factors affecting this carriage were determined in a group of healthy children aged 0-10 years. Meningococcus and N. lactamica carriage were detected in 17 (1.23%) and 245 (17.7%) of 1382 subjects, respectively. Number (%) of serogroups for meningococci was 1 (6), 5 (29), 0 (0), 1 (6), 1 (6), and 9 (53) for A, B, C, D, W135, and Y, respectively. Having more than three household members, elementary school attendance, pharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were associated with carriage of meningococci, whereas age less than 24-month was associated with carriage of N. lactamica. There was a reverse carriage rate between N. meningitidis and N. lactamica by age which may suggest a possible protective role of N. lactamica against meningococcal colonization among pre-school children

  6. Meningococcal disease in The Netherlands, 1958-1990: a steady increase in the incidence since 1982 partially caused by new serotypes and subtypes of Neisseria meningitidis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, R. J.; Bijlmer, H. A.; Poolman, J. T.; Kuipers, B.; Caugant, D. A.; van Alphen, L.; Dankert, J.; Valkenburg, H. A.

    1993-01-01

    In order to explain a threefold increase in the incidence of meningococcal disease in the Netherlands during the 1980s, we serotyped and subtyped Neisseria meningitidis isolates recovered between 1958 and 1990 from > 3,000 patients with systemic disease. No single strain could be held responsible

  7. Gonorrhea: Data on antibiotic resistance and accompanying infections at the University Hospital Dresden over a 10-year time period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, Susanne; Poehlmann, Christoph; Spornraft-Ragaller, Petra

    2013-03-01

    Over the last years, growing resistance of gonorrhea to quinolones has emerged worldwide. Currently, cases with resistance to oral and parenteral third-generation cephalosporins are increasingly reported. Because gonorrhea is not a notifiable infection in Germany, data on epidemiology and antimicrobial surveillance of gonorrhea are scarce. We present the results of N. gonorrhoea testing at the University Hospital Dresden over the course of ten years. The results of cultural and nucleic acid amplification testing of gonorrhea and accompanying infections of 1,850 smears between 2001 and 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Among 181 patients (mean age 30.4 years) 159 had positive PCR analyses for gonorrhea and 50 positive cultures of Neisseria gonorrhoea. The rate of ciprofloxacin resistance was high (in 46% of all isolates), primarily in men. Resistance to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone could not be detected so far. In 40% of the cases at least one accompanying urogenital infection occurred, predominantly with Chlamydia trachomatis. Similar to other regions of Germany, a high percentage of resistance to quinolones was found in gonorrhea, but not to cephalosporins. Additionally, accompanying infections were frequent and warrant screening. In the light of recent cases of resistance to cephalosporins currently emerging in Europe, cultural diagnosis of gonorrhea should definitely be intensified by all means. The results should be integrated into a surveillance system. © The Authors | Journal compilation © Blackwell Verlag GmbH, Berlin.

  8. Microbiological efficacy and tolerability of a single-dose regimen of 1 g of ceftriaxone in men with gonococcal urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Shin; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Hatazaki, Kyoko; Mizutani, Kosuke; Tsuchiya, Tomohiro; Yokoi, Shigeaki; Nakano, Masahiro; Deguchi, Takashi

    2016-09-01

    We treated men with gonococcal urethritis with a single-dose regimen of 1 g of ceftriaxone, which is recommended as the first-line treatment for gonorrhoea in Japan, to determine its microbiological outcomes and tolerability. We enrolled 255 men with gonococcal urethritis and treated them with a single-dose regimen of 1 g of ceftriaxone. We evaluated its microbiological outcomes and tolerability. We also determined ceftriaxone MICs for pretreatment isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae collected from the patients. The microbiological efficacy of the ceftriaxone regimen, which was determined between 5 and 9 days after treatment in 111 men based on the Japanese guideline for clinical research on antimicrobial agents in urogenital infections, was 100%. In the 194 men who returned to the clinic between 2 and 41 days after treatment, 191 (98.5%; 95% CI 96.8%-100%) were negative for N. gonorrhoeae after treatment. Ceftriaxone MICs determined for 136 pretreatment isolates obtained from these 194 men ranged from 0.001 to 0.25 mg/L. One isolate persisting after treatment exhibited a ceftriaxone MIC of 0.008 mg/L. For two isolates persisting after treatment, ceftriaxone MICs were not determined. Seven adverse events were observed in 7 (3.2%) of the 220 men treated with the ceftriaxone regimen. Four men had diarrhoea classified as grade 1. Three had urticaria during ceftriaxone administration, with one event classified as grade 1 and two events classified as grade 3. A single-dose regimen of 1 g of ceftriaxone was microbiologically effective against gonococcal urethritis and was safe and tolerable. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Evaluation of the Microbiological Efficacy of a Single 2-Gram Dose of Extended-Release Azithromycin by Population Pharmacokinetics and Simulation in Japanese Patients with Gonococcal Urethritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soda, Midori; Ito, Shin; Matsumaru, Naoki; Nakamura, Sakiko; Nagase, Izumi; Takahashi, Hikari; Ohno, Yuta; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Yamamoto, Miho; Tsukamoto, Katsura; Itoh, Yoshinori; Deguchi, Takashi; Kitaichi, Kiyoyuki

    2018-01-01

    The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters of a single 2-g dose of extended-release formulation of azithromycin (AZM-SR) and its microbiological efficacy against gonococcal urethritis. Fifty male patients with gonococcal urethritis were enrolled in this study. In 36 patients, the plasma AZM concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the AZM MIC values for the Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were determined, and the microbiological outcomes were assessed. AZM-SR monotherapy eradicated N. gonorrhoeae in 30 (83%) of the 36 patients. AZM MICs ranged from 0.03 to 2 mg/liter. The mean value of the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), estimated by population PK analysis using a two-compartment model, was 20.8 mg · h/liter. Logistic regression analysis showed that the PK/PD target value required to predict an N. gonorrhoeae eradication rate of ≥95% was a calculated AUC/MIC of ≥59.5. The AUC/MIC value was significantly higher in patients who achieved microbiological cure than in patients who achieved microbiological failure. Monte Carlo simulation using this MIC distribution revealed that the probability that AZM-SR monotherapy would produce an AUC/MIC exceeding the AUC/MIC target of 59.5 was 47%. Furthermore, the MIC distribution for strains isolated in this study was mostly consistent with that for strains currently circulating in Japan. In conclusion, in Japan, AZM-SR monotherapy may not be effective against gonococcal urethritis. Therefore, use of a single 2-g dose of AZM-SR either with or without other antibiotics could be an option to treat gonococcal urethritis if patients are allergic to ceftriaxone and spectinomycin or are diagnosed to be infected with an AZM-sensitive strain. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  10. Mycoplasma genitalium: prevalence in men presenting with urethritis to a South Australian public sexual health clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mezzini, T M; Waddell, R G; Douglas, R J; Sadlon, T A

    2013-05-01

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium infection among male patients with dysuria and/or urethral discharge. An analysis of the clinical, demographic and microbiological factors associated with M. genitalium infection was also conducted. From May 2007 to June 2011, men presenting to the clinic with self-reported symptoms of dysuria and/or urethral discharge were identified and underwent urethral swab, which was microscopically assessed for objective non-gonococcal urethritis. A first-void urine sample was tested for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using the Aptima Combo-2 assay. A portion of the urine sample was sent for polymerase chain reaction analysis for M. genitalium. One thousand, one hundred and eighty-two men with dysuria and/or urethral discharge were tested for M. genitalium. Of those, 96 men (8.1%) were positive for M. genitalium. Men identifying as solely MSM (men who have sex with men) constituted 16.3% (n = 193) of the sample. Their infection rate was 3.1% (n = 6). The infection rate for heterosexual and bisexual men was 9.1%. For all men, the M. genitalium co-infection rate was 14.6% (n = 14) with C. trachomatis and 3.1% (n = 3) with N. gonorrhoeae. Factors associated with M. genitalium infection were analysed by univariate analysis. We determined that five investigated predictors were significantly associated with M. genitalium infection, urethral discharge, non-gonococcal urethritis on Gram stain of urethral smears, identification as heterosexual or bisexual, and absence of co-infection with C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae. In Adelaide, M. genitalium is an important sexually transmitted infection among men with dysuria and/or urethral discharge, and is primarily an infection of heterosexual and bisexual men. © 2013 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  11. Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infektion hos abortsøgende. Undersøgelses- og behandlingsstrategi for at mindske infektionssequelae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Jette Led; Thranov, I R; Hoff, G E

    1992-01-01

    Among women applying for termination of pregnancy, 5-17% are infected with Chlamydia trachomatis. The prevalence is higher among women under 20 years of age (12-30%), in nulliparae and when Neisseria gonorrhoeae are found simultaneously. If women applying for termination of pregnancy with Chlamydia...... infection are not treated, 10-60% will develop pelvic infection after abortion. Salpingitis caused by Chlamydia runs a milder clinical course than salpingitis caused by gonococci or other etiology but salpingitis due to Chlamydia is regarded as one of the most important causes of tubal infertility...... and extrauterine pregnancy. The symptoms may be discharge and dysuria or objective findings such as cervicitis and pathological findings in wet smears of the cervical secretion. The majority of women applying for termination of pregnancy with Chlamydia infection have no symptoms. Only few investigations have...

  12. Sexually transmitted infections and use of contraceptives in women living with HIV in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorsteinsson, Kristina; Ladelund, Steen; Storgaard, Merete

    2016-01-01

    , and herpes simplex (HSV-1 and HSV-2). At follow-up, predictors of condom use were estimated in sexually active WLWH. RESULTS: In total, 334 of the 1,392 eligible WLWH in Denmark were included (median age and HIV duration: 42.5 and 11.3 years). Chlamydia trachomatis was present in four individuals (1......BACKGROUND: No Danish guidelines for screening of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in women living with HIV (WLWH) exist, except for annual syphilis testing. Drug-drug interaction between hormonal contraceptives and some types of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) occurs. We...... criteria were HIV-1 infection and ≥ 18 years of age. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, alcohol- or drug abuse impeding adherence to the protocol. At entry, participants were tested (and where appropriate, treated according to guidelines) for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, syphilis...

  13. Severe Sepsis and Acute Myocardial Dysfunction in an Adolescent with Chlamydia Trachomatis Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: A Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Ashley M; Roden, R Claire; Matson, Steven C; Wallace, Grant M; Lange, Hannah L H; Bonny, Andrea E

    2018-04-01

    Although generally asymptomatic, severe Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infections have been documented. C. trachomatis has been associated with myocarditis as well as sepsis. A 19-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus developed sudden-onset mental status change and shock after resolution of diabetic ketoacidosis. Abdominal and pelvic imaging showed uterine and adnexal inflammation, and pelvic examination confirmed a diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease. The patient was intubated, required vasopressor support, and developed severe biventricular myocardial dysfunction. Infectious myocarditis workup was negative. Nucleic acid amplification testing from vaginal discharge was positive for C. trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis and negative for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. C. trachomatis should be considered in the workup of septic shock, particularly in populations at high risk for sexually transmitted infections. Copyright © 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Optimization of Molecular Approaches to Genogroup Neisseria meningitidis Carriage Isolates and Implications for Monitoring the Impact of New Serogroup B Vaccines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Rojas

    Full Text Available The reservoir for Neisseria meningitidis (Nm is the human oropharynx. Implementation of Nm serogroup C (NmC glycoconjugate vaccines directly reduced NmC carriage. Prophylactic vaccines are now available to prevent disease caused by the five major Nm disease causing serogroups (ABCWY. Nm serogroup B (NmB vaccines are composed of antigens that are conserved across Nm serogroups and therefore have the potential to impact all Nm carriage. To assess the effect of these vaccines on carriage, standardized approaches to identify and group Nm are required. Real-time PCR (rt-PCR capsule grouping assays that were internally controlled to confirm Nm species were developed for eight serogroups associated with carriage (A, B, C, E, W, X, Y and Z. The grouping scheme was validated using diverse bacterial species associated with carriage and then used to evaluate a collection of diverse Nm carriage isolates (n=234. A scheme that also included porA and ctrA probes was able to speciate the isolates, while ctrA also provided insights on the integrity of the polysaccharide loci. Isolates were typed for the Nm vaccine antigen factor H binding protein (fHbp, and were found to represent the known diversity of this antigen. The porA rt-PCR yielded positive results with all 234 of the Nm carriage isolates. Genogrouping assays classified 76.5% (179/234 of these isolates to a group, categorized 53 as nongenogroupable (NGG and two as mixed results. Thirty seven NGG isolates evidenced a disrupted capsular polysaccharide operon judged by a ctrA negative result. Only 28.6% (67/234 of the isolates were serogrouped by slide agglutination (SASG, highlighting the reduced capability of carriage strains to express capsular polysaccharide. These rt-PCR assays provide a comprehensive means to identify and genogroup N. meningitidis in carriage studies used to guide vaccination strategies and to assess the impact of novel fHbp containing vaccines on meningococcal carriage.

  15. Immunogenicity of recombinant class 1 protein from Neisseria meningitidis refolded into phospholipid vesicles and detergent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niebla, O; Alvarez, A; Martín, A; Rodríguez, A; Delgado, M; Falcón, V; Guillén, G

    2001-05-14

    The possibility of eliciting bactericidal antibodies against a recombinant class 1 protein (P1) from Neisseria meningitidis, joined to the first 45 amino acids of the neisserial LpdA protein (PM82), was examined. P1 was produced in Escherichia coli as intracellular inclusion bodies, from which it was purified and reconstituted by (a) inclusion into phospholipid vesicles and detergent and (b) refolding in 0.1% SDS. When Balb/c mice were immunised, high titres of subtype-specific bactericidal antibodies against P1 were obtained in both cases. These results suggest that in spite of being a denaturing agent, it is possible to use SDS to reconstitute the P1 protein in a conformation that exposes the immunodominat regions.

  16. Intercontinental spread of a genetically distinctive complex of clones of Neisseria meningitidis causing epidemic disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caugant, D A; Frøholm, L O; Bøvre, K; Holten, E; Frasch, C E; Mocca, L F; Zollinger, W D; Selander, R K

    1986-07-01

    Strains of Neisseria meningitidis responsible for an epidemic of meningococcal disease occurring in Norway since the mid-1970s and for recent increases in the incidence of disease in several other parts of Europe have been identified by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis as members of a distinctive group of 22 closely related clones (the ET-5 complex). Clones of this complex have also colonized South Africa, Chile, Cuba, and Florida, where they have been identified as the causative agents of recent outbreaks of meningococcal disease. There is strong circumstantial evidence that outbreaks of disease occurring in Miami in 1981 and 1982 were caused in large part by bacteria that reached Florida via human immigrants from Cuba.

  17. Inhibition of the dapE-Encoded N-Succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic Acid Desuccinylase from Neisseria meningitidis by L-Captopril

    OpenAIRE

    Starus, Anna; Nocek, Boguslaw; Bennett, Brian; Larrabee, James A.; Shaw, Daniel L.; Sae-Lee, Wisath; Russo, Marie T.; Gillner, Danuta M.; Makowska-Grzyska, Magdalena; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Holz, Richard C.

    2015-01-01

    Binding of the competitive inhibitor L-captopril to the dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase from Neisseria meningitidis (NmDapE) was examined by kinetic, spectroscopic, and crystallographic methods. L-Captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, was previously shown to be a potent inhibitor of the DapE from Haemophilus influenzae (HiDapE) with an IC50 of 3.3 μM and a measured Ki of 1.8 μM and displayed a dose-responsive antibiotic activity toward Esch...

  18. Pneumonia caused by Neisseria meningitidis: report of a case and review of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Acosta M, Rafael E; Rada E, Robin A

    2010-01-01

    Pneumonia caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a gram-negative diplococcus affecting only humans, is a rare disease that was first recognized more than 60 years ago. The infection is usually manifested as meningitis and septicemia with cutaneous manifestations. Involvement of the lower respiratory tract is much less frequently diagnosed, partly because this microorganism can be present in the oropharyngeal flora of up to 10% of asymptomatic people. The serotypes most frequently involved in lung infections are: B, Y, and W-135. Serotype Y has been held to be most important. In cases of pneumonia, diagnosis has to be reached by isolation of the microorganism in blood and/or pleural fluid. Mortality is low, and person-to-person transmission, although documented, is rare. Complications such as pulmonary abscess, pleural effusion, and pericarditis are infrequent.

  19. Neisseria meningitidis RTX protein FrpC induced high levels of serum antibodies during invasive disease: polymorphism of frpC alleles and purification of recombinant FrpC

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Osička, Radim; Kalmusová, J.; Křížová, P.; Šebo, Peter

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 69, č. 9 (2001), s. 5509-5519 ISSN 0019-9567 R&D Projects: GA ČR GV310/96/K102; GA MŠk ME 167 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5020903 Keywords : Neisseria meningitidis * meningococcal infections Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.212, year: 2001

  20. Surface peptide mapping of protein I and protein III of four strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Judd, R.C.

    1982-01-01

    Whole cells and isolated outer membranes (OMs) of four strains of gonococci were surface radioiodinated with either lactoperoxidase or Iodogen (Pierce Chemical Co., Rockford, Ill.). These preparations were solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Surface-radioiodinated protein I (PI) and PIII bands were excised from the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels and digested with alpha-chymotrypsin, and the resultant 125 I-peptide fragments were resolved by high-voltage electrophoresis and thin-layer chromatography (i.e., surface peptide mapping). Radioemitting peptidic fragments were visualized by autoradiography. Results demonstrated that the PI molecule of each gonococcal strain studied had unique iodinatable peptides exposed on the surface of whole cells and OMs, whereas PIIIs appeared to have the same portion of the molecule exposed on the surface of bacteria or OMs, regardless of the gonococcal strain from which they were isolated. Many more radiolabeled peptides were seen in surface peptide maps of PIs from radiolabeled OMs than in those from radioiodinated whole cells, whereas different peptidic fragments were seen in the surface peptide maps of PIIIs from radiolabeled OMs than were seen in those from radiolabeled whole cells. These data suggest that PI may contribute strain-specific antigenic determinants and PIII may contribute cross-reactive determinants and that the surface exposure of PI and PIII is different in isolated OMs than in the OM of intact gonococci

  1. Recursos diagnósticos para las infecciones de transmisión sexual en los laboratorios de Cataluña (España Diagnostic resources for sexually-transmitted infections in laboratories in Catalonia (Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Montserrat Calmet

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Describir la capacidad y organización de los laboratorios de Cataluña (España para el diagnóstico de infecciones de transmisión sexual. Para ello, entre noviembre de 2005 y marzo de 2006 se realizó un estudio transversal incluyendo 140 laboratorios. Resultados: 98 realizan alguna prueba diagnóstica, 45 reciben más de 50 muestras vaginales al mes, 42 diagnostican Chlamydia trachomatis, pero solo 6 mediante amplificación de ácidos nucleicos. Ninguno diagnostica el linfogranuloma venéreo. 80 detectan la Neisseria gonorrhoeae (n 1/4 80, 76 de ellos mediante cultivo y 63 analizan su sensibilidad antimicrobiana. En total 23, 22, 22 y 14 laboratorios reciben más de 500 peticiones al mes, respectivamente de hepatitis B, hepatitis C, VIH y sífilis. 84 disponen de pruebas no treponémicas parala sífilis y 51 disponen de pruebas treponémicas. Conclusiones: La actividad de los laboratorios cubre prácticamente todo el espectro patológico, pero es necesario introducir nuevas técnicas y mejorar la eficiencia de los circuitos de muestras.Objective: With the aim of describing both the capacity and organization of the laboratories in Catalonia to diagnose sexually transmitted infections, a cross-sectional study was performed between November 2005 and March 2006, which included 140 laboratories. Results: Ninety-eight laboratories performed some STI tests, 45 received more than 50 vaginal swabs per month, 42 diagnosed Chlamydia trachomatis, but only six used polymerase chain reaction techniques. None diagnosed venereal lymphogranuloma. Eighty were able to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 76 by means of culture and 63 analyzed its antibiotic resistance. A total of 23, 22, 22 and 14 laboratories received more than 500 blood samples for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis, respectively. Non-treponemic and treponemic tests were available in 84 and 52 laboratories, respectively. Conclusions: In Catalonia, most STIs can be diagnosed but

  2. Results of Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay to Identify Urethritis Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Sarıer

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR test applied to identify the pathogens in male patients who attended our urology clinic with a pre-diagnosis of urethritis related with sexual intercourse. Materials and Methods: In this study, we included a total of 91 male patients, who sought medical advice in our clinic between August 2015 and October 2016 due to complaints of urethral discharge, dysuria and urethral itching, having a visible urethral discharge during the physical examination or a positive leukocyte esterase test (Combur-Test®-Roche in the first urine sample. In the urethral swab samples of these patients, urethritis pathogens were searched with a multiplex PCR test. The multiplex PCR kit, which is able to identify nine pathogens and produced by PathoFinder® (Holland, was used in the process. The pathogens that could be detected by the kit were Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Treponema pallidum, and Candida albicans. Results: The average age of the subjects was 35.1 (19-57 years. Sixty one out of 91 patients (67% were found to have a pathogen in the urethral swab sample. In 45 patients (49.4%, only one pathogen, in 12 (13.1% - two different pathogens and in 4 (4.3% patients, 3 different pathogens were detected. The pathogens found were as follows: Ureaplasma urealyticum in 22 patients (27.1%, Gardnerella vaginalis in 15 (18.6%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 13 (16.1%, Mycoplasma genitalium (10 patients; 12.3%, Mycoplasma hominis (8 patients; 9.9%, Chlamydia trachomatis (8 patients; 9.9%, Trichomonas vaginalis (3 patients; 3.8%, and Candida albicans (2 patients; 2.4%. None of the patients were identified with Treponema pallidum. None of the pathogens were identified in 30 patients (32.9% whose samples were examined by PCR method. Conclusion

  3. Nitrogen consumption during batch cultivation of Neisseria meningitidis (serogroup C in Frantz medium Consumo de nitrogênio durante cultivo descontínuo de Neisseria meningitidis (sorogrupo C em meio de Frantz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Júlia Baruque-Ramos

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Capsular polysaccharide, extracted from microorganism cultivations, is the principal antigen for elaboration of vaccine against the disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C. The final protein content allowed in this vaccine is 1%. In order to find a relationship between nitrogen consumption and cell growth, including polysaccharide production, and cell nitrogen content, cultivations were carried out in an 80 liters bioreactor (total capacity, under the following conditions: Frantz medium; temperature of 35ºC; air flow of 5 L/min (0.125 vvm; agitation frequency of 120 rpm and vessel pressure of 6 psi (kLa = 0.07 min-1. Concentrations of biomass, total polysaccharide, cellular nitrogen, residual organic and inorganic nitrogen in the medium were measured during cultivation. From five cultivations carried out under the same conditions, a mean cell nitrogen percentage of 12.6% (w/w in respect to the dry biomass was found. The inorganic nitrogen in the medium did not change significantly along the cultivation time, whereas the organic nitrogen consumption was linearly related to cell growth, with constant yield factors (average of 8.44. Polysaccharide production kinetics followed the cell growth kinetics until the beginning of the stationary growth phase. A supplemental polysaccharide production was observed until the end of cultivation, but without cell nitrogen absorption. Thus, the results indicate that polysaccharide is produced in two phases, being the first one biomass formation followed by non-associated to growth.Polissacarídeo capsular, extraído de cultivos microbianos, é o principal antígeno para o preparo da vacina contra a doença causada por Neisseria meningitidis sorogrupo C. O conteúdo final de proteína permitido nessa vacina é de 1%. De modo a encontrar uma relação entre o consumo de nitrogênio, o crescimento microbiano (incluindo a produção de polissacarídeo e o conteúdo de nitrogênio celular, cultivos

  4. Vigilancia de Neisseria meningitidis en Argentina, 1993-2005: distribución de serogrupos, serotipos y serosubtipos causantes de enfermedad invasiva

    OpenAIRE

    Chiavetta, L.; Chávez, E.; Ruzic, A.; Mollerach, M.; Regueira, M.

    2007-01-01

    Neisseria meningitidis es agente causal de enfermedades severas como meningitis, bacteriemia y síndrome de shock séptico. Se presenta la distribución en serogrupos, serotipos y serosubtipos de 2244 aislamientos de N. meningitidis obtenidos de cuadros de meningitis y/o meningococcemia durante el período 1993-2005 y analizados en el Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia del INEI-ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán". Estos aislamientos eran provenientes de 33 hospitales de todo el país, conformados en una...

  5. Neisseria meningitidis expressing lgtB lipopolysaccharide targets DC-SIGN and modulates dendritic cell function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steeghs, Liana; van Vliet, Sandra J; Uronen-Hansson, Heli; van Mourik, Andries; Engering, Anneke; Sanchez-Hernandez, Martha; Klein, Nigel; Callard, Robin; van Putten, Jos P M; van der Ley, Peter; van Kooyk, Yvette; van de Winkel, Jan G J

    2006-02-01

    Neisseria meningitidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been identified as a major determinant of dendritic cell (DC) function. Here we report that one of a series of meningococcal mutants with defined truncations in the lacto-N-neotetraose outer core of the LPS exhibited unique strong adhesion and internalization properties towards DC. These properties were mediated by interaction of the GlcNAc(beta1-3)-Gal(beta1-4)-Glc-R oligosaccharide outer core of lgtB LPS with the dendritic-cell-specific ICAM-3 grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) lectin receptor. Activation of DC-SIGN with this novel oligosaccharide ligand skewed T-cell responses driven by DC towards T helper type 1 activity. Thus, the use of lgtB LPS may provide a powerful instrument to selectively induce the desired arm of the immune response and potentially increase vaccine efficacy.

  6. Chlamydial Proctitis in a Young Man Who Has Sex with Men: Misdiagnosed as Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyung Jin; Kim, Jaeyeon; Shin, Dong Hwan; Jung, Jun Oh; Koh, Seokyoung; Kim, Ka Young; Lee, Jae Min

    2015-12-01

    We report the case of a 20-year-old man with a 2-month history of anal pain and bloody rectal discharge. He was referred to our clinic of gastroenterology for suspected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The colonoscopy showed mucosal nodularities on the rectum and an anal tag. Because the colonoscopic findings were not consistent with the typical manifestations of IBD, we took an additional sexual history and performed studies for infectious proctitis, including serologic tests for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidum. He had homosexual experience, and the serologic tests and PCR of a rectal swab were positive for C. trachomatis infection. Finally he was diagnosed as having chlamydial proctitis and was treated with intramuscular ceftriaxone 250 mg in a single dose and doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily for 7 days. After 2 months, he had no lower abdominal symptoms and his endoscopic findings were improved.

  7. A comparative study of single-dose treatment of chancroid using thiamphenicol versus Azithromycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belda, Walter; Di Chiacchio, Nilton G; Di Chiacchio, Nilton; Romiti, Ricardo; Criado, Paulo R; Velho, Paulo Eduardo N Ferreira

    2009-06-01

    A study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil, to compare azithromycin with thiamphenicol for the single-dose treatment of chancroid. In all, 54 men with chancroid were tested. The etiology was determined by clinical characterization and direct bacterioscopy with Gram staining. None of the patients had positive serology or dark-field examination indicating active infection with Treponema pallidum. Genital infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and herpes simplex virus were excluded by polymerase chain reaction testing. For 54 patients with chancroid, cure rates with single-dose treatment were 73% with azithromycin and 89% with thiamphenicol. HIV seropositivity was found to be associated with treatment failure (p=0.001). The treatment failed in all HIV positive patients treated with azithromycin (p=0.002) and this drug should be avoided in these co-infected patients. In the view of the authors, thiamphenicol is the most indicated single-dose regimen for chancroid treatment.

  8. Screening for abnormal vaginal microflora by self-assessed vaginal pH does not enable detection of sexually transmitted infections in Ugandan women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donders, Gilbert G G; Donders, Francesca; Bellen, Gert; Depuydt, Christophe; Eggermont, Natalie; Michiels, Thirsa; Lule, John; Byamughisa, Jacobat

    2016-06-01

    Is self-assessed vaginal pH measurement to detect abnormal vaginal bacterial microflora (AVF) an adequate prescreening method for detection of genital sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? A total of 360 Ugandan women tested themselves with a gloved finger and a pH color strip. PCR for bacterial vaginosis (BV)-associated bacteria was tested by PCR for Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and/or Atopobium vaginae, while the STIs were diagnosed by positive PCR for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and/or Trichomonas vaginalis. A strong correlation was found between self-assessed pH values and BV-associated bacteria (Pvaginal pH correlated well with markers of high-risk microflora types such as BV or aerobic vaginitis, but not with STIs. Hence, in a screening program addressing AVF in low-resource countries, extra specific tests are required to exclude STIs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Large two-centre study into the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, A S; Rahamat-Langendoen, J C; van Alphen, Ptw; Hilt, N; van Herk, Cmc; Pont, Sbeh; Melchers, Wjg; van de Bovenkamp, Jhb

    2016-09-01

    Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis are common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In the Netherlands, testing for M. genitalium and T. vaginalis is not recommended for first-line STI screening. Recent reports about the increasing antimicrobial resistance in M. genitalium raise concern about the adequacy of current empirical treatment regimens. It is necessary to have insight in the prevalence of M. genitalium and T. vaginalis in order to evaluate current first-line STI screening and treatment protocols. During a five-month period, samples sent to two large medical microbiology diagnostic centres in the Netherlands for STI screening (Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae) were retrospectively tested for the prevalence of M. genitalium and T. vaginalis using the Diagenode S-DiaMGTV kit. A total of 1569 samples from 1188 unique patients (55.4% female) were tested. M. genitalium was the second most prevalent STI detected (4.5% of the patients), after C. trachomatis (8.3%). T. vaginalis was detected in 1.4% of the patients, comparable to the prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae (1.3%). Dual infections were only detected in a small number of patients (1.0%). Incorporation of M. genitalium into routine STI screening should be considered, because of its relatively high prevalence, the consequences of its detection for antibiotic treatment and because of the availability of easy-to-use molecular diagnostic tests. For T. vaginalis, routine screening may be considered, depending on local prevalence and (sub)population. © The Author(s) 2015.

  10. Sexually transmitted infections in HIV-infected people in Switzerland: cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katharina Sprenger

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Sexually transmitted infections (STI in HIV-infected people are of increasing concern. We estimated STI prevalence and sexual healthcare seeking behaviour in 224 sexually active HIV-infected people, including men who have sex with men (MSM, n = 112, heterosexual men (n = 65 and women (n = 47. Laboratory-diagnosed bacterial STI were more common in MSM (Chlamydia trachomatis 10.7%; 95% CI 6.2, 18.0%, lymphogranuloma venereum 0.9%; 95% CI 0.1, 6.2%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae 2.7%; 95% CI 0.9, 8.0%, syphilis seroconversion 5.4%; 95% CI 2.0, 11.3% than heterosexual men (gonorrhoea 1.5%; 95% CI 0.2, 10.3% or women (no acute infections. Combined rates of laboratory-diagnosed and self-reported bacterial STI in the year before the study were: MSM (27.7%; 95% CI 21.1, 36.7%; heterosexual men (1.5%; 95% CI 0.2, 10.3%; and women (6.4%; 95% CI 2.1, 21.0%. Antibodies to hepatitis C virus were least common in MSM. Antibodies to herpes simplex type 2 virus were least common in heterosexual men. Most MSM, but not heterosexual men or women, agreed that STI testing should be offered every year. In this study, combined rates of bacterial STI in MSM were high; a regular assessment of sexual health would allow those at risk of STI to be offered testing, treatment and partner management.

  11. Comparison of dot-ELISA and standard ELISA for detection of Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane complex-specific antibodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elza FT Belo

    Full Text Available Dot-ELISA using the outer membrane complex antigens of Neisseria meningitidis as a target was standardized for rapid detection of meningococcal-specific antibodies in human serum. We investigated the level of meningococcal-specific IgG, IgA, and IgM in serum using dot-ELISA with outer membrane antigens prepared from Neisseria meningitidis serotype B:4.19:P1.15,3,7,9 (a strain isolated from a Brazilian epidemic. The dot-ELISA is based on the same principles as the standard ELISA and is useful for detection of anti-N. meningitidis B antibodies in serum of patients with meningococcal infections. For the assay, outer membrane complexes (OMCs were absorbed by nitrocellulose membrane and blocked with a 5% skim milk solution. Serum samples were drawn upon hospital admission and during convalescence from patients with meningococcal septicemia, and single samples were drawn from uninfected controls. We retrospectively examined a total of 57 serum samples: 35 from patients infected with N. meningitidis B, 12 from patients infected with Haemophilus influenzae b, and 10 from health individuals. When performed at room temperature, dot-ELISA took approximately four hours to perform, and the optimum antigen concentration was 0.42 µg per dot. The specificity of IgG, IgM, and IgA demonstrates that dot-ELISA using OMCs from N. meningitidis B as a target is suitable for serologic verification of clinically suspected meningococcal disease in patients and for titer determination of antibodies produced during different phases of natural infection. Furthermore, the sensitivity of dot-ELISA was comparable to that of standard ELISA. Overall, dot-ELISA is simple to perform, rapid, and low cost. Further validation of the test as a screening tool is required.

  12. Differences in the population structure of Neisseria meningitidis in two Australian states: Victoria and Western Australia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shakeel Mowlaboccus

    Full Text Available Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD. A recombinant vaccine called Bexsero® incorporates four subcapsular antigens (fHbp, NHBA, NadA and PorA which are used to assign a Bexsero® antigen sequence type (BAST to each meningococcal strain. The vaccine elicits an immune response against combinations of variants of these antigens which have been grouped into specific BAST profiles that have been shown to have different distributions within geographical locations thus potentially affecting the efficacy of the vaccine. In this study, invasive meningococcal disease isolates from the western seaboard of Australia (Western Australia; WA were compared to those from the south-eastern seaboard (Victoria; VIC from 2008 to 2012. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS of 131 meningococci from VIC and 70 meningococci from WA were analysed for MLST, FetA and BAST profiling. Serogroup B predominated in both jurisdictions and a total of 10 MLST clonal complexes (cc were shared by both states. Isolates belonging to cc22, cc103 and cc1157 were unique to VIC whilst isolates from cc60 and cc212 were unique to WA. Clonal complex 41/44 represented one-third of the meningococcal population in each state but the predominant ST was locally different: ST-6058 in VIC and ST-146 in WA. Of the 108 BAST profiles identified in this collection, only 9 BASTs were simultaneously observed in both states. A significantly larger proportion of isolates in VIC harboured alleles for the NHBA-2 peptide and fHbp-1, antigenic variants predicted to be covered by the Bexsero® vaccine. The estimate for vaccine coverage in WA (47.1% [95% CI: 41.1-53.1%] was significantly lower than that in VIC (66.4% [95% CI: 62.3-70.5%]. In conclusion, the antigenic structure of meningococci causing invasive disease in two geographically distinct states of Australia differed significantly during the study period which may affect vaccine effectiveness and highlights the

  13. Male non-gonococcal urethritis: From microbiological etiologies to demographic and clinical features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Shin; Hanaoka, Nozomu; Shimuta, Ken; Seike, Kensaku; Tsuchiya, Tomohiro; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Yokoi, Shigeaki; Nakano, Masahiro; Ohnishi, Makoto; Deguchi, Takashi

    2016-04-01

    To detect microorganisms responsible for male acute urethritis and to define the microbiology of non-gonococcal urethritis. The present study comprised 424 men with symptoms and signs compatible with acute urethritis. Their urethral swabs and first-voided urine underwent detection of the microorganisms. Demographic characteristics and clinical features of Mycoplasma genitalium-, Ureaplasma urealyticum-, Haemophilus influenza-, adenovirus- or Herpes simplex virus-positive monomicrobial non-gonococcal urethritis, or all-examined microorganism-negative urethritis in heterosexual men were compared with urethritis positive only for Chlamydia trachomatis. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was detected in 127 men (30.0%). In 297 men with non-gonococcal urethritis, C. trachomatis was detected in 143 (48.1%). In 154 men with non-chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis, M. genitalium (22.7%), M. hominis (5.8%), Ureaplasma parvum (9.1%), U. urealyticum (19.5%), H. influenzae (14.3%), Neisseria meningitidis (3.9%), Trichomonas vaginalis (1.3%), human adenovirus (16.2%), and Herpes simplex virus types 1 (7.1%) and 2 (2.6%) were detected. Although some features of monomicrobial non-chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis or all-examined microorganism-negative urethritis were significantly different from those of monomicrobial chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis, most features were superimposed. Predicting causative microorganisms in men with non-gonococcal urethritis based on demographic and clinical features is difficult. However, the present study provides useful information to better understand the microbiological diversity in non-gonococcal urethritis, and to manage patients with non-gonococcal urethritis appropriately. © 2016 The Japanese Urological Association.

  14. Fastidious Gram-Negatives: Identification by the Vitek 2 Neisseria-Haemophilus Card and by Partial 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wolff Sönksen, Ute; Christensen, Jens Jørgen; Nielsen, Lisbeth

    2010-01-01

    Taxonomy and identification of fastidious Gram negatives are evolving and challenging. We compared identifications achieved with the Vitek 2 Neisseria-Haemophilus (NH) card and partial 16S rRNA gene sequence (526 bp stretch) analysis with identifications obtained with extensive phenotypic...... characterization using 100 fastidious Gram negative bacteria. Seventy-five strains represented 21 of the 26 taxa included in the Vitek 2 NH database and 25 strains represented related species not included in the database. Of the 100 strains, 31 were the type strains of the species. Vitek 2 NH identification...

  15. Point-of-care testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea: implications for clinical practice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Natoli

    Full Text Available Point-of-care (POC testing for chlamydia (CT and gonorrhoea (NG offers a new approach to the diagnosis and management of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs in remote Australian communities and other similar settings. Diagnosis of STIs in remote communities is typically symptom driven, and for those who are asymptomatic, treatment is generally delayed until specimens can be transported to the reference laboratory, results returned and the patient recalled. The objective of this study was to explore the clinical implications of using CT/NG POC tests in routine clinical care in remote settings.In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposively selected group of 18 key informants with a range of sexual health and laboratory expertise.Participants highlighted the potential impact POC testing would have on different stages of the current STI management pathway in remote Aboriginal communities and how the pathway would change. They identified implications for offering a POC test, specimen collection, conducting the POC test, syndromic management of STIs, pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosis and management, interpretation and delivery of POC results, provision of treatment, contact tracing, management of client flow and wait time, and re-testing at 3 months after infection.The introduction of POC testing to improve STI service delivery requires careful consideration of both its advantages and limitations. The findings of this study will inform protocols for the implementation of CT/NG POC testing, and also STI testing and management guidelines.

  16. Point-of-Care Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea: Implications for Clinical Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natoli, Lisa; Maher, Lisa; Shephard, Mark; Hengel, Belinda; Tangey, Annie; Badman, Steven G.; Ward, James; Guy, Rebecca J.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Point-of-care (POC) testing for chlamydia (CT) and gonorrhoea (NG) offers a new approach to the diagnosis and management of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in remote Australian communities and other similar settings. Diagnosis of STIs in remote communities is typically symptom driven, and for those who are asymptomatic, treatment is generally delayed until specimens can be transported to the reference laboratory, results returned and the patient recalled. The objective of this study was to explore the clinical implications of using CT/NG POC tests in routine clinical care in remote settings. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposively selected group of 18 key informants with a range of sexual health and laboratory expertise. Results Participants highlighted the potential impact POC testing would have on different stages of the current STI management pathway in remote Aboriginal communities and how the pathway would change. They identified implications for offering a POC test, specimen collection, conducting the POC test, syndromic management of STIs, pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosis and management, interpretation and delivery of POC results, provision of treatment, contact tracing, management of client flow and wait time, and re-testing at 3 months after infection. Conclusions The introduction of POC testing to improve STI service delivery requires careful consideration of both its advantages and limitations. The findings of this study will inform protocols for the implementation of CT/NG POC testing, and also STI testing and management guidelines. PMID:24956111

  17. HIV, STI prevalence and risk behaviours among women selling sex in Lahore, Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaman Shakila

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background More than 340 million cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs were estimated to have occurred worldwide in 1995. Previous studies have shown that the presence of other concomitant STIs increases the likelihood of HIV transmission. The first national study of STIs conducted in Pakistan in 2004 revealed a high burden of STIs among women selling sex. The HIV epidemic in Pakistan has thus far followed the "Asian epidemic model". Earlier studies among women selling sex have shown a low prevalence of HIV coupled with a low level of knowledge about AIDS. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV and STIs, and assess knowledge and risk behaviours related to HIV/STI, among women selling sex in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods A total of 730 participants were recruited through respondent-driven sampling. The participants were women selling sex in three areas (referred to as "A", "B", and "C" of Lahore. A structured questionnaire addressing demographic information, sexual life history, sexual contacts, and knowledge and practices related to HIV/STI prevention was administered by face-to-face interview. Biological samples were obtained from all participants and tested for HIV, Treponema pallidum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis. Pearson's chi-square and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to test associations between potential risk factors and specified diagnosed infections. Results The prevalence of HIV infection was 0.7%, T pallidum 4.5%, N gonorrhoeae 7.5%, C trachomatis 7.7% and T vaginalis 5.1%. The participants had been selling sex for a median period of seven years and had a median of three clients per day. Sixty five percent of the participants reported that they "Always use condom". The median fee per sexual contact was Rs. 250 (3 Euro. Compared to Areas A and C, women selling sex in Area B had a significantly higher risk of chlamydial

  18. HIV/STD pattern and its associated risk factors among male STD clinic attendees in China: a foci for HIV intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Qian-Qiu

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies suggested a high prevalence of STDs including HIV among female sex workers and men who have sex with men in China, but little was known about the prevalence in male patients attending public STD clinics. The aim of this study was to investigate STD patterns and HIV prevalence among male STD clinic attendees in different areas in China and the associated risk factors. The feasibility of Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC was evaluated as well. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at 46 public STD clinics in 4 provinces in China. Between July 2009 and September 2009, a total of 3243 eligible subjects were invited to participate in an interview with a structured-questionnaire for collecting socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behavioral information. They also were asked to provide venous blood samples for serological determinations of HIV and syphilis infection, and first void urine specimens for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections, Results Out of the 3243 eligible patients, 2951(91% men agreed to take part in the HIV and syphilis testing. The overall prevalence rate of HIV infection was 0.7% while the rates of syphilis, N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis infections were 10.7%, 4.3% and 6.9%, respectively, with the highest syphilis and N. gonorrhoeae rates in Jiangsu Province. Patients from Guangxi province, homosexual/bisexual practices and intravenous drug use were significantly associated with HIV infection in multivariate logistic regression analyses. Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC was well accepted by attendees, with 91% of eligible attendees agreeing to undergo HIV testing and counseling. All HIV positive patients were properly managed accordingly. Conclusions A modest prevalence of HIV infection and substantial prevalence of other STD infections were found among male patients attending public STD clinics in China. The

  19. Synthesis and immunological evaluation of protein conjugates of Neisseria meningitidis X capsular polysaccharide fragments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Morelli

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A vaccine to prevent infections from the emerging Neisseria meningitidis X (MenX is becoming an urgent issue. Recently MenX capsular polysaccharide (CPS fragments conjugated to CRM197 as carrier protein have been confirmed at preclinical stage as promising candidates for vaccine development. However, more insights about the minimal epitope required for the immunological activity of MenX CPS are needed. We report herein the chemical conjugation of fully synthetic MenX CPS oligomers (monomer, dimer, and trimer to CRM197. Moreover, improvements in some crucial steps leading to the synthesis of MenX CPS fragments are described. Following immunization with the obtained neoglycoconjugates, the conjugated trimer was demonstrated as the minimal fragment possessing immunogenic activity, even though significantly lower than a pentadecamer obtained from the native polymer and conjugated to the same protein. This finding suggests that oligomers longer than three repeating units are possibly needed to mimic the activity of the native polysaccharide.

  20. Accounting for failures may improve precision: evidence supporting improved validity of self-reported condom use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosby, Richard; Salazar, Laura F; DiClemente, Ralph J; Yarber, William L; Caliendo, Angela M; Staples-Horne, Michelle

    2005-08-01

    To determine whether a measure of unprotected vaginal sex that is adjusted for condom failures would produce improved accuracy in predicting biologically confirmed STDs (chlamydia and gonorrhea) among female teens. Self-reported measures were collected using audio-computer-assisted self-interviewing. DNA amplification for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was conducted. The unadjusted measure of unprotected vaginal sex was not significantly associated with biologically confirmed prevalence of STDs (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.51; 95% CI = 0.71-3.21; P = 0.28). Alternatively, the adjusted measure achieved significance (PR = 3.59; 95% CI = 1.13-11.38; P = 0.014). More than one quarter (25.6%) of teens using condoms inconsistently and/or incorrectly tested positive for an STD compared to 7.1% among those reporting the consistent and correct use of condoms. Findings demonstrate that studies of condom effectiveness should use an adjusted measure of condom use to achieve precision and rigor.

  1. Preference for dry sex, condom use and risk of STI among HIV-negative black women in the Western Cape province, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Ruiter

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The practice of dry sex is reportedly common among young black women in South Africa. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of women’s preference for dry sex with condom use and the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT, Neisseria gonorrhoea (NG and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV infections. Between January 2006 and December 2007, 446 women completed a behavioural survey in isiXhosa which assessed demographic information, sexual behaviours, condom use behaviour and other potential correlates. In total, 159 (36.72% women indicated preferring dry sex. A multivariate logistic regression model indicated that participants who preferred dry sex were more likely to report past STI episodes and to have a partner who also preferred dry sex. The findings indicate that dry sex behaviour was not directly associated with condom use and STI (CT, NG, and TV prevalence but may have been associated with relationships in which sexual preferences of the male partner were dominant.

  2. Silica desiccant packets for storage and transport of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other clinically relevant species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Casey L Pell

    Full Text Available Bacterial isolates are often transported between laboratories for research and diagnostic purposes. Silica desiccant packets (SDPs, which are inexpensive and do not require freezing, were evaluated for storage and recovery of bacterial isolates. Conditions such as inoculum size, swab type and temperature of storage were investigated using ten Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates. The optimized protocol was then tested using 49 additional S. pneumoniae isolates representing 40 serogroups. Overall, S. pneumoniae growth was considered satisfactory (>100 colony forming units for 98/109 (89.9% and 20/20 (100% swabs after 14 days at room temperature or 28 days at 4° C, respectively. Storage in SDPs did not impact on the ability of S. pneumoniae isolates to be subsequently serotyped. When the survival of nine other clinically relevant bacterial species was tested, seven were viable after 28 days at room temperature, the exceptions being Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae. SDPs are suitable for transport and short-term storage of bacterial species including S. pneumoniae.

  3. Twitching motility of bacteria with type-IV pili: Fractal walks, first passage time, and their consequences on microcolonies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bisht, Konark; Klumpp, Stefan; Banerjee, Varsha; Marathe, Rahul

    2017-11-01

    A human pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), moves on surfaces by attaching and retracting polymeric structures called Type IV pili. The tug-of-war between the pili results in a two-dimensional stochastic motion called twitching motility. In this paper, with the help of real-time NG trajectories, we develop coarse-grained models for their description. The fractal properties of these trajectories are determined and their influence on first passage time and formation of bacterial microcolonies is studied. Our main observations are as follows: (i) NG performs a fast ballistic walk on small time scales and a slow diffusive walk over long time scales with a long crossover region; (ii) there exists a characteristic persistent length lp*, which yields the fastest growth of bacterial aggregates or biofilms. Our simulations reveal that lp*˜L0.6 , where L ×L is the surface on which the bacteria move; (iii) the morphologies have distinct fractal characteristics as a consequence of the ballistic and diffusive motion of the constituting bacteria.

  4. A comparative study of single-dose treatment of chancroid using thiamphenicol versus Azithromycin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walter B. Junior

    Full Text Available A study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil, to compare azithromycin with thiamphenicol for the single-dose treatment of chancroid. In all, 54 men with chancroid were tested. The etiology was determined by clinical characterization and direct bacterioscopy with Gram staining. None of the patients had positive serology or dark-field examination indicating active infection with Treponema pallidum. Genital infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and herpes simplex virus were excluded by polymerase chain reaction testing. For 54 patients with chancroid, cure rates with single-dose treatment were 73% with azithromycin and 89% with thiamphenicol. HIV seropositivity was found to be associated with treatment failure (p=0.001. The treatment failed in all HIV positive patients treated with azithromycin (p=0.002 and this drug should be avoided in these co-infected patients. In the view of the authors, thiamphenicol is the most indicated single-dose regimen for chancroid treatment.

  5. Canadian Laboratory Standards for Sexually Transmitted Infections: Best Practice Guidelines

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    Max A Chernesky

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Sexually transmitted infections (STI continue to spread, and show no international boundaries. Diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis, which we thought were under control in Canadian populations, have increased in incidence. Sexually transmitted or associated syndromes such as cervicitis, enteric infections, epididymitis, genital ulcers, sexually related hepatitis, ophthalmia neonatorum, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis and vulvovaginitis present a challenge for the physician to identify the microbial cause, treat the patient and manage contacts. During the past 10 years, new technologies developed for the diagnosis of STIs have provided a clearer understanding of the real accuracy of traditional tests for the diagnosis of infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, herpes simplex viruses, hepatitis B virus, human papillomaviruses, HIV, Haemophilus ducreyi, Trichomonas vaginalis and mycoplasmas. This has presented a major challenge to the diagnostic laboratory, namely, selecting the most sensitive and specific test matched with the most appropriate specimens to provide meaningful and timely results to facilitate optimal patient care.

  6. CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CONTEMPORARY METHODS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS UROGENITAL INFECTIONS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilko Bakardzhiev

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The subject of this study were 486 outpatients between the ages of 17 and 62, diagnosed with urethritis, epidydimitis, prostatitis, cervicitis, endocervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility. The following tests were used to make the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis: Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA, Enzyme-Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA, Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA amplification for Chlamydia Trachomatis, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma Genitalium and Ureaplasma Urealyiticum. Comparison PCR and EIA showed statistically significant difference between the positive results obtained by the two methods (p0,1. EIA is a method that gives a higher percentage of nonspecific positive reactions, while the results obtained from ELFA are much closer to the ones obtained by PCR. According to contemporary evidence based medicine, the developmet of unified standard methods for diagnosis and evaluation is of vital importance, not only for the patient and the treating physician but also concerns for the healthcare system, the general public and the pharmaceutical companies as well.

  7. Effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT under Neisseria meningitidis transformation process

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    Mattos Ives B

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed at verifying the action of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT under the naturally transformable Neisseria meningitidis against two different DNA obtained from isogenic mutants of this microorganism, an important pathogen implicated in the genetic horizontal transfer of DNA, causing the escape of the principal vaccination measured worldwide by the capsular switching process. Materials and methods The bacterium receptor strain C2135 was cultivated and had its mutant DNA donor M2 and M6, which received a receptor strain and MWCNT at three different concentrations. The inhibition effect of DNAse on the DNA in contact with nanoparticles was evaluated. Results The results indicated an in increase in the transformation capacity of N. meninigtidis in different concentrations of MWCNT when compared with negative control without nanotubes. A final analysis of the interaction between DNA and MWCNT was carried out using Raman Spectroscopy. Conclusion These increases in the transformation capacity mediated by MWCNT, in meningococci, indicate the interaction of these particles with the virulence acquisition of these bacteria, as well as with the increase in the vaccination escape process.

  8. Porin A-specific antibody avidity in patients who are convalescing from meningococcal B disease.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermont, C.L.; Dijken, H.H. van; Groot, R. de; Dobbelsteen, G.P. van den

    2005-01-01

    Porin A (PorA), which determines the serosubtype of Neisseria meningitidis, is the main antigen of a candidate vaccine against serogroup B meningococci, which has been shown to induce high-avidity antibodies in children. We characterized the immune response of children after convalescing from

  9. Medical health care for Viennese prostitutes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stary, A; Kopp, W; Söltz-Szöts, J

    1991-01-01

    In Vienna, legalized prostitution is tightly controlled by the advisory board of the Viennese Public Health Service. Registered prostitutes are routinely screened for all important STDs, such as syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydial- and yeast-infections, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Furthermore, cytological smears are obtained from the cervix and chest X-rays are performed at least once a year. In all pathological findings, an appropriate therapy is implemented. Presenting data of 1989, out of the 713 weekly controlled registered prostitutes, Neisseria gonorrhoeae was detected in 0.3% of all examinations (110/35,368). In non-registered prostitutes, the infection rate of N. gonorrhoeae was 6.9% (27/354), and so far, 20 times higher than in registered ones. The infection rate of Chlamydia trachomatis, which has been routinely diagnosed in registered prostitutes for several years, has decreased from 20.4% in 1980 to 2.2% in 1989 compared with 31.4% and 10.9% in non-registered prostitutes. In registered prostitutes, the prevalence of genital infections, such as C. trachomatis, T. vaginalis, and yeasts was shown to be 4.9%. The corresponding data in non-registered prostitutes were much higher (18.8%). Due to examinations for cervical malignancy the incidence of Papanicolaou stain IV and V has decreased from 3.1% in 1988 to 1.6% in 1989. There was no serologic evidence for syphilis and HIV infection in both special risk groups. The data demonstrate, that due to a good health surveillance of STD-risk groups, a good information service, and free treatment, the prevalence of STDs can be reduced in prostitutes.

  10. Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infection Pathogens in Semen Samples

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    RW Peeling

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The transmission of sexually transmitted infection (STI pathogens from an infected donor to the recipient of a semen donation in assisted conception may result not only in acute infection but also in long-term reproductive complications or adverse outcomes of pregnancy, including infection of the offspring. Screening for bacterial STI pathogens, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae is strongly recommended because these pathogens can cause serious reproductive complications in the recipients of semen donations and infection in their offspring. Screening for these pathogens should be performed using the most sensitive methods, such as nucleic acid amplified tests. False-negative results due to inhibitory substances in the semen sample should be monitored using amplification controls. Where specimen transport is not a problem and culture facilities are available, N gonorrhoeae can also be detected by culture. Laboratories performing screening should subscribe to proficiency programs and have strict quality controls. Although Trichomonas vaginalis, group B streptococcus and genital mycoplasmas have been associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy, the frequent finding of these organisms in healthy individuals brings into question the validity of mandatory inclusion of these organisms in the screening panel. Although viral STI pathogens and Treponema pallidum -- the causative agent of syphilis -- may be detected in semen, their presence may be more sensitively detected through antibody testing of the donor. Screening donors for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis by serology is uniformly recommended in all of the guidelines, but the value of screening either donors or semen samples for cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex viruses and human papilloma viruses is less clear.

  11. Antimicrobial drug susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from carriers

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    Dayamí García

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available When it is necessary to determine the susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm strains to antimicrobial drugs, it is important to consider that it should be analyzed in a double context. One of them related to the use of drugs in a specific medical treatment; and the other; to chemoprophylatic drugs, both with the same purpose: the accurate selection of the “in vivo” antimicrobial agent. This requires the study of the sensitivity and resistance of strains isolated in both carriers and patients. With the aim of further studying the behavior of the strains that currently circulate in Cuba, an antimicrobial drug susceptibility study was conducted in 90 strains isolated from carriers during the first half of 1998. The agar dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs to: penicillin, ampicillin, rifampin, sulfadiazine, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime. The study of the three latter drugs was done for the first time in our country. The search for β- lactamase-producer strains was also performed. There was a predominance of penicillin sensitive strains (82,2% with an intermediate sensitivity to ampicillin (57,8%, while 70% of the strains were sensitive to sulfadiazine. Regarding the rest of the antimicrobial drugs, 100% of the strains were sensitive. The paper shows the MICs for each drug as well as the phenotypic characteristics of the strains with the penicillin and sulfadiazine sensitivity and resistance patterns. No β-lactamase-producer strains were found.

  12. Gonorréia Gonorrhea

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    Gerson Oliveira Penna

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available A gonorréia é uma infecção bacteriana freqüente, causada pela Neisseria gonorrhoeae, um diplococo Gram-negativo de transmissão quase que exclusiva através de contato sexual ou perinatal. Primariamente afeta membranas mucosas do trato genital inferior, e mais raramente, as mucosas do reto, orofaringe e conjuntiva. A infecção genital ascendente na mulher leva a uma complicação séria, a salpingite aguda, uma das principais causas de infertilidade feminina. A partir dos anos 90, deu-se início a um novo tempo no que se refere a descobertas sobre a patogenia da gonorréia e seu agente etiológico. O controle da gonorréia tem sido difícil na maioria das populações, e essa permanece um exemplo da influência que os fatores sociais, comportamentais e demográficos exercem na epidemiologia de uma doença infecciosa. O manejo da gonorréia e de outras doenças sexualmente transmissíveis requer tanto o tratamento do paciente e de seu parceiro sexual como medidas de saúde pública para interromper a transmissão da infecção e evitar complicações a longo prazo.Gonorrhea is a common bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a Gram-negative diplococcus that is transmitted almost exclusively by sexual contact or perinatally. It primarily affects the mucous membranes of the lower genital tract and less frequently those of the rectum, oropharynx, and conjunctivae. Ascending genital infection in women leads to the predominant complication, acute salpingitis, one of the most common causes of female infertility in the world. Since the 1990s, a remarkable surge of information ensued regarding the pathogenesis of gonorrhea and its agent. Gonorrohea has proven difficult to control in most populations and remains a prime example of the influence that social, behavioral, and demographic factors can have on the epidemiology of an infectious disease. The management of gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections requires both

  13. General metabolism of Laribacter hongkongensis: a genome-wide analysis

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    Curreem Shirly O

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Laribacter hongkongensis is associated with community-acquired gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. In this study, we performed an in-depth annotation of the genes and pathways of the general metabolism of L. hongkongensis and correlated them with its phenotypic characteristics. Results The L. hongkongensis genome possesses the pentose phosphate and gluconeogenesis pathways and tricarboxylic acid and glyoxylate cycles, but incomplete Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas and Entner-Doudoroff pathways, in agreement with its asaccharolytic phenotype. It contains enzymes for biosynthesis and β-oxidation of saturated fatty acids, biosynthesis of all 20 universal amino acids and selenocysteine, the latter not observed in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis and Chromobacterium violaceum. The genome contains a variety of dehydrogenases, enabling it to utilize different substrates as electron donors. It encodes three terminal cytochrome oxidases for respiration using oxygen as the electron acceptor under aerobic and microaerophilic conditions and four reductases for respiration with alternative electron acceptors under anaerobic conditions. The presence of complete tetrathionate reductase operon may confer survival advantage in mammalian host in association with diarrhea. The genome contains CDSs for incorporating sulfur and nitrogen by sulfate assimilation, ammonia assimilation and nitrate reduction. The existence of both glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase pathways suggests an importance of ammonia metabolism in the living environments that it may encounter. Conclusions The L. hongkongensis genome possesses a variety of genes and pathways for carbohydrate, amino acid and lipid metabolism, respiratory chain and sulfur and nitrogen metabolism. These allow the bacterium to utilize various substrates for energy production and survive in different environmental niches.

  14. Fuzzy species among recombinogenic bacteria

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    Fraser Christophe

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It is a matter of ongoing debate whether a universal species concept is possible for bacteria. Indeed, it is not clear whether closely related isolates of bacteria typically form discrete genotypic clusters that can be assigned as species. The most challenging test of whether species can be clearly delineated is provided by analysis of large populations of closely-related, highly recombinogenic, bacteria that colonise the same body site. We have used concatenated sequences of seven house-keeping loci from 770 strains of 11 named Neisseria species, and phylogenetic trees, to investigate whether genotypic clusters can be resolved among these recombinogenic bacteria and, if so, the extent to which they correspond to named species. Results Alleles at individual loci were widely distributed among the named species but this distorting effect of recombination was largely buffered by using concatenated sequences, which resolved clusters corresponding to the three species most numerous in the sample, N. meningitidis, N. lactamica and N. gonorrhoeae. A few isolates arose from the branch that separated N. meningitidis from N. lactamica leading us to describe these species as 'fuzzy'. Conclusion A multilocus approach using large samples of closely related isolates delineates species even in the highly recombinogenic human Neisseria where individual loci are inadequate for the task. This approach should be applied by taxonomists to large samples of other groups of closely-related bacteria, and especially to those where species delineation has historically been difficult, to determine whether genotypic clusters can be delineated, and to guide the definition of species.

  15. Rastreio de Infeções Sexualmente Transmissíveis não víricas nos adolescentes: qual o estado da arte

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    João Rocha Santos

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available As infeções sexualmente transmissíveis (IST constituem um problema persistente de saúde pública, sendo os adolescentes e adultos jovens os que apresentam as taxas de prevalência mais elevadas para algumas IST. As IST não víricas nos países desenvolvidos incluem a Chlamydia Trachomatis, a Neisseria gonorrhoeae, o Treponema pallidume a Trichomonas vaginalis. A deteção precoce das IST não víricas tem impacto positivo a nível individual e na saúde pública: permite instituição atempada de tratamento adequado, a redução de transmissão entre parceiros, bem como reduzir as complicações a longo prazo, nomeadamente doença inflamatória pélvica, dor pélvica crónica, gravidez ectópica e infertilidade. Várias sociedades médicas internacionais publicaram recomendações para o rastreio de algumas IST não víricas em determinados grupos. Em Portugal, a Direção Geral de Saúde (DGS atualizou em 2014 a norma sobre a notificação obrigatória de doenças transmissíveis, que inclui a gonorreia, a sífilis e a infeção por Chlamydia Trachomatis. Não obstante, os estudos sobre a epidemiologia de IST são parcos em Portugal e apenas recentemente foi contemplado o rastreio oportunístico de infeção genital por Chlamydia Trachomatis no Plano Nacional de Saúde 2011-2016. O médico de família através da sua abordagem holística centrada na pessoa, no seu contexto familiar e social (focando antecedentes pessoais / comportamentos de risco tem necessariamente um papel determinante na prevenção primária e no rastreio das IST.

  16. The structure of lactoferrin-binding protein B from Neisseria meningitidis suggests roles in iron acquisition and neutralization of host defences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Cory L.; Arutyunova, Elena; Lemieux, M. Joanne

    2014-01-01

    Pathogens have evolved a range of mechanisms to acquire iron from the host during infection. Several Gram-negative pathogens including members of the genera Neisseria and Moraxella have evolved two-component systems that can extract iron from the host glycoproteins lactoferrin and transferrin. The homologous iron-transport systems consist of a membrane-bound transporter and an accessory lipoprotein. While the mechanism behind iron acquisition from transferrin is well understood, relatively little is known regarding how iron is extracted from lactoferrin. Here, the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain (N-lobe) of the accessory lipoprotein lactoferrin-binding protein B (LbpB) from the pathogen Neisseria meningitidis is reported. The structure is highly homologous to the previously determined structures of the accessory lipoprotein transferrin-binding protein B (TbpB) and LbpB from the bovine pathogen Moraxella bovis. Docking the LbpB structure with lactoferrin reveals extensive binding interactions with the N1 subdomain of lactoferrin. The nature of the interaction precludes apolactoferrin from binding LbpB, ensuring the specificity of iron-loaded lactoferrin. The specificity of LbpB safeguards proper delivery of iron-bound lactoferrin to the transporter lactoferrin-binding protein A (LbpA). The structure also reveals a possible secondary role for LbpB in protecting the bacteria from host defences. Following proteolytic digestion of lactoferrin, a cationic peptide derived from the N-terminus is released. This peptide, called lactoferricin, exhibits potent antimicrobial effects. The docked model of LbpB with lactoferrin reveals that LbpB interacts extensively with the N-terminal lactoferricin region. This may provide a venue for preventing the production of the peptide by proteolysis, or directly sequestering the peptide, protecting the bacteria from the toxic effects of lactoferricin. PMID:25286931

  17. Recombinant Protein Truncation Strategy for Inducing Bactericidal Antibodies to the Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator Protein of Neisseria meningitidis and Circumventing Potential Cross-Reactivity with Human FK506-Binding Proteins

    OpenAIRE

    Bielecka, Magdalena K.; Devos, Nathalie; Gilbert, Mélanie; Hung, Miao-Chiu; Weynants, Vincent; Heckels, John E.; Christodoulides, Myron

    2014-01-01

    A recombinant macrophage infectivity potentiator (rMIP) protein of Neisseria meningitidis induces significant serum bactericidal antibody production in mice and is a candidate meningococcal vaccine antigen. However, bioinformatics analysis of MIP showed some amino acid sequence similarity to human FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) in residues 166 to 252 located in the globular domain of the protein. To circumvent the potential concern over generating antibodies that could recognize human protein...

  18. Genomic Epidemiology of Hypervirulent Serogroup W, ST-11 Neisseria meningitidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustapha, Mustapha M; Marsh, Jane W; Krauland, Mary G; Fernandez, Jorge O; de Lemos, Ana Paula S; Dunning Hotopp, Julie C; Wang, Xin; Mayer, Leonard W; Lawrence, Jeffrey G; Hiller, N Luisa; Harrison, Lee H

    2015-10-01

    Neisseria meningitidis is a leading bacterial cause of sepsis and meningitis globally with dynamic strain distribution over time. Beginning with an epidemic among Hajj pilgrims in 2000, serogroup W (W) sequence type (ST) 11 emerged as a leading cause of epidemic meningitis in the African 'meningitis belt' and endemic cases in South America, Europe, Middle East and China. Previous genotyping studies were unable to reliably discriminate sporadic W ST-11 strains in circulation since 1970 from the Hajj outbreak strain (Hajj clone). It is also unclear what proportion of more recent W ST-11 disease clusters are caused by direct descendants of the Hajj clone. Whole genome sequences of 270 meningococcal strains isolated from patients with invasive meningococcal disease globally from 1970 to 2013 were compared using whole genome phylogenetic and major antigen-encoding gene sequence analyses. We found that all W ST-11 strains were descendants of an ancestral strain that had undergone unique capsular switching events. The Hajj clone and its descendants were distinct from other W ST-11 strains in that they shared a common antigen gene profile and had undergone recombination involving virulence genes encoding factor H binding protein, nitric oxide reductase, and nitrite reductase. These data demonstrate that recent acquisition of a distinct antigen-encoding gene profile and variations in meningococcal virulence genes was associated with the emergence of the Hajj clone. Importantly, W ST-11 strains unrelated to the Hajj outbreak contribute a significant proportion of W ST-11 cases globally. This study helps illuminate genomic factors associated with meningococcal strain emergence and evolution.

  19. Genital and extra-genital screening for gonorrhoea using the BD Probetec ET system with an in-house PCR method targeting the porA pseudogene as confirmatory test

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Sissel; Larsen, Helle Kiellberg; Sand, Carsten

    2012-01-01

    for Chlamydia trachomatis testing were also examined for GC on the BD Viper™ platform using the BD Probetec ET system. In order to avoid false-positive results all GC BD reactive samples were re-tested using a PCR method with the porA pseudogene as target. Using this method we screened 170% more samples for GC...

  20. Whole genome typing of the recently emerged Canadian serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis sequence type 11 clonal complex isolates associated with invasive meningococcal disease

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    Raymond S.W. Tsang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the Canadian invasive serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW sequence type 11 (ST-11 clonal complex (CC isolates by whole genome typing and to compare Canadian isolates with similar isolates from elsewhere. Methods: Whole genome typing of 30 MenW ST-11 CC, 20 meningococcal group C (MenC ST-11 CC, and 31 MenW ST-22 CC isolates was performed on the Bacterial Isolate Genome Sequence database platform. Canadian MenW ST-11 CC isolates were compared with the 2000 MenW Hajj outbreak strain, as well as with MenW ST-11 CC from other countries. Results: Whole genome typing showed that the Canadian MenW ST-11 CC isolates were distinct from the traditional MenW ST-22 CC; they were not capsule-switched contemporary MenC strains that incorporated MenW capsules. While some recent MenW disease cases in Canada were caused by MenW ST-11 CC isolates showing relatedness to the 2000 MenW Hajj strain, many were non-Hajj isolates similar to current MenW ST-11 isolates found globally. Geographical and temporal variations in genotypes and surface protein antigen genes were found among the MenW ST-11 CC isolates. Conclusions: The current MenW ST-11 isolates did not arise by capsule switching from contemporary MenC ST-11 isolates. Both the Hajj-related and non-Hajj MenW ST-11 CC strains were associated with invasive meningococcal disease in Canada. Keywords: Neisseria meningitidis, Invasive meningococcal disease, Whole genome typing