Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Gram-stain of gonococcal urethritis. Note distribution in neutrophils and presence of both intracellular and extracellular bacteria. (CDC)
Gram-stain of gonococcal urethritis. Note distribution in neutrophils and presence of both intracellular and extracellular bacteria. (CDC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Pseudomonadota
Class: Betaproteobacteria
Order: Neisseriales
Family: Neisseriaceae
Genus: Neisseria
Species:
N. gonorrhoeae
Binomial name
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(Zopf 1885) Trevisan 1885[1]
Synonyms

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as gonococcus (singular) or gonococci (plural), is a species of Gram-negative diplococci bacteria isolated by Albert Neisser in 1879.[3] It causes the sexually transmitted genitourinary infection gonorrhea[4] as well as other forms of gonococcal disease including disseminated gonococcemia, septic arthritis, and gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum.

It is oxidase positive and aerobic, and it survives phagocytosis and grows inside neutrophils.[4] Culturing it requires carbon dioxide supplementation and enriched agar (chocolate agar) with various antibiotics (Thayer–Martin). It exhibits antigenic variation through genetic recombination of its pili and surface proteins that interact with the immune system.[3]

Sexual transmission is through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.[5] Sexual transmission may be prevented through the use of barrier protection.[6] Perinatal transmission may occur during childbirth, and may be prevented by antibiotic treatment of the mother before birth and the application of antibiotic eye gel on the eyes of the newborn.[6] After an episode of gonococcal infection, infected persons do not develop immunity to future infections. Reinfection is possible due to N. gonorrhoeae's ability to evade the immune system by varying its surface proteins.[7]

N. gonorrhoeae can cause infection of the genitals, throat, and eyes.[8] Asymptomatic infection is common in males and females.[6][9] Untreated infection may spread to the rest of the body (disseminated gonorrhea infection), especially the joints (septic arthritis). Untreated infection in women may cause pelvic inflammatory disease and possible infertility due to the resulting scarring.[8] Diagnosis is through culture, Gram stain, or nucleic acid tests, such as polymerase chain reaction, of a urine sample, urethral swab, or cervical swab.[10][11] Chlamydia co-testing and testing for other STIs is recommended due to high rates of co-infection.[12]

Antibiotic resistance in N. gonorrhoeae is a growing public health concern, especially given its propensity to develop resistance easily.[13]

  1. ^ Euzéby JP, Parte AC. "Genus Neisseria". List of Prokaryotic Names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN). Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  2. ^ Neisser A (1879). "Ueber eine der Gonorrhoe eigentümliche Micrococusform" [About a micrococus form peculiar to gonorrhea]. Centralblatt für die medizinischen Wissenschaften (in German). 17 (28): 497–500.
  3. ^ a b O'Donnell JA, Gelone SP (2009). "Bacterial Cause of PID: Gonorrhoeae". Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4381-0159-0.
  4. ^ a b Ryan KJ, Ray CG, eds. (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-8385-8529-0.[page needed]
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference www.cdc.gov_2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference CDC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hill_2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Lev13th2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Final Recommendation Statement: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Screening". U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  10. ^ Ng LK, Martin IE (January 2005). "The laboratory diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae". The Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. 16 (1): 15–25. doi:10.1155/2005/323082. PMC 2095009. PMID 18159523.
  11. ^ "Gonococcal Infections - 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines". 4 January 2018.
  12. ^ MacKenzie CR, Henrich B, eds. (2012). Diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases: methods and protocols. Humana Press. ISBN 978-1-61779-936-5. OCLC 781681739.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Quillin_2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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