Meningococcus, the bacterium neisseria meningitidis, which causes meningococcal meningitis in humans, who are the only natural hosts in which it causes disease. Pdf meningococcal disease is a severe illness with high case fatality 510% and frequent sequelae. The strain was serogrouped as w5 by specific antiserum difco, sparks, md in hacettepe medical school, turkey, and confirmed by the centers for disease control and prevention cdc, atlanta, ga. This patients vaccination certificate confirmed that he had. Meningococcal meningitis is the most common form of n meningitidis infection. Meningococcal meningitis, meningococcal infection, cerebrospinal fever, meningococcemia characteristics. The neisseria meningitidis bacterium is usually spread through close, personal or prolonged contact with respiratory or oral secretions. Laboratory methods for the diagnosis of meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis, streptococcus pneumoniae, and haemophilus influenzae. The organism was first recognized by weichselbaum in 1887 in the spinal fluid of six patients with acute cerebrospinal meningitis.
During periods of endemic disease, about 10 % of the general population harbour neisseria meningitidis in the nasopharynx. Neisseria meningitidis is a wellknown bacterium for causing meningitis. Meningitis caused by maltosenegative variantof neisseria. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The bacteria are spherical, ranging in diameter from 0. Neisseria meningitidis an overview sciencedirect topics. Neisseria meningitidis is prevented through two types of vaccines. Neisseria meningitidis w5, turkey volume 10, number 5. Other symptoms include confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light or loud noises. About 15% of people carry these bacteria in their throats without getting sick. It can cause sepsis bloodstream infection, meningitis inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord, and pneumonia.
About 10% of adults are carriers of the bacteria in their nasopharynx. Neisseria meningitidis, often referred to as meningococcus, is a gram negative bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a lifethreatening sepsis. Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis in the. Meningococcal meningitis, meningococcal infection, cerebrospinal fever. However, advances have been made in our understanding of meningococcal biology and pathogenesis, global epidemiology, transmission and carriage, host susceptibility, pathophysiology, and clinical presentations. Here, we describe a neonate with meningococcal sepsis who was admitted to the hospital on postnatal day 10, and we discuss the clinical features of neonatal infection with n. The bacterium neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus, causes meningococcal meningitis. A prime example for such a pathogen is neisseria meningitidis. The second is a vaccine against neisseria meningitidis serogroup b and is referred to as menb. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels. Meningococcal meningitis, caused by neisseria meningitidis, is one version for which vaccines are available. Pdf metabolism and virulence in neisseria meningitidis. Also, children ages 1623 years have the second highest rates of disease. Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis in northern.
Neisseria meningitidisis an aerobic, gramnegative diplococcus that colonizes the nasopharynx of many healthy individuals. Morphology capsulated gram negative cocci in pairs diplococci 0. He called it diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis because of the presence of the organism within leukocytes from the spinal fluid. Meningococcal disease neisseria meningitidis disease. Children ages 1115 years have the second highest rate of death from bacterial meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis. Chapter 2 epidemiology of meningitis caused by neisseria. The bacterium is referred to as a coccus because it is round, and more specifically, diplococcus because of its tendency to form pairs. Neisseria meningitidis the meningococcus is the cause of epidemic meningitis, a fulminant sepsis meningococcemia, milder bacteremia, and, less commonly, other focal infections. Neisseria meningitidis the meningococcus causes significant morbidity and mortality in children and young adults worldwide through epidemic or sporadic meningitis andor septicemia. These tests can be useful for screening isolates to categorize them as susceptible, intermediate, resistant, or non. Neisseria of the eleven species of neisseria that colonize humans, only two are pathogens.
The first definitive description of the disease was by vieusseux in switzerland in 1805. It is a serious condition that can be life threatening. Who practical guidelines, control of epidemic meningococcal disease. To describe the antimicrobial resistance profile of neisseria meningitidis isolates causing invasive disease in brazil from 2009 to 2016. There are more than 500,000 reported cases of meningococcal disease per year, with an estimated annual death toll of 5,000 zimmer and stephens 2004. Unlike a cold or the flu, the bacteria that cause meningitis cannot be spread by casual contact or by breathing the air where an infected person has been. Some of the most common causes of bacterial meningitis include neisseria meningitidis, streptococcus. Quick medical attention is extremely important if meningococcal disease is suspected. Epidemic meningitis, meningococcaemia, and neisseria meningitidis. Meningitis is technically an inflammation of the meninges, or the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
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. Globally, w5 strains are often isolated after intensive vaccination campaigns against serogroup a and c meningococci have been implemented. Neisseria meningitidis about neisseria meningitidis is a bacterium hosted only by humans and is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the united states. Neisseria meningitidis is a gramnegative diplococcus bacterium that is responsible for endemic and epidemic meningococcal meningitis and fulminant meningococcemia munford 2001. Meningococcal disease is a contagious infection spread by close contact, such as living with or kissing an infected person. Young children often exhibit only nonspecific symptoms, such as. Bakterielle eitrige meningoenzephalitis deutsche gesellschaft fur. Meningococcal disease can refer to any illness that is caused by a type of bacteria called neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis haemophilus influenzae streptococcus pneumoniae streptococcus pyogenes group a strep neisseria meningitidis is immediately reportable on first knowledge or suspicion of the diagnosis due to the potential need for prophylaxis of close contacts within 24 hours of suspected diagnosis suspicion is. Epidemic meningitis, meningococcaemia, and neisseria. Chemoprophylaxis of healthcare workers exposed to neisseria meningitidis 11 recommendations for the management of laboratory worker exposed to n. Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. Information on this page has been organized into three categories. Immunology and vaccinepreventable diseases pink book.
Mortality can be very high if the infection is not treated appropriately, and longterm sequelae can be severe even in successfully managed cases. Neisseria meningitidis georgia department of public health. Neisseria meningitidis material safety data sheet infectious substances section i infectious agent name. Most carrier isolates are shown to lack capsule production. Las enfermedades producidas por esta bacteria, son las siguientes. Invasive neisseria meningitis facts for health professionals surveillance invasive disease caused by neisseria meningitidis includes meningitis, septicemia, and other infections.
Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in neisseria. Meningococcal meningitis is an acute form of bacterial meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease wisconsin department of health. May 30, 2018 meningococcal meningitis, caused by neisseria meningitidis, is one version for which vaccines are available. Granato,t roberthoward,bernadettewilkinson, and jeffreylaser waterburyhospitalhealth center, waterbury, connecticut 06720 a maltosenegative variant of neisseria meningitidis, slaterus y, was recoveredfromapatient withmeningitis. Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges.
Neisseria meningitidis, often referred to as meningococcus, is a gramnegative bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a lifethreatening sepsis. Most pathogenic microbes could potentially cause meningitis in the human brain. Akute eitrige meningitis beim kind swiss medical forum. Who laboratory methods for the diagnosis of meningitis. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Neisseria meningitidis is a gramnegative diplococci spheres clumped in pairs bacteria. Even if treated quickly, meningococcal disease can cause longterm problems or be deadly. Neisseria meningitidis was first identified as the causative agent of bacterial meningitis by weichselbaum in 1887. Meningitis causedbymaltosenegative variantofneisseria meningitidis paula.
K v chakradhar assistant professor department of microbiology nriims 2. Meningococcal disease meningococcal disease is a rare, but very serious illness caused by a type of bacteria called neisseria meningitidis. Neisseria meningitidis is an exclusive human pathogen. One w5 isolate from an asymptomatic carrier was reported in a child in 2001. Neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease 1 neisseria meningitidis meningococcal disease i. Meningitis and septicemia constitute the majority of cases of meningococcal disease. A longstanding question in infection biology addresses the genetic basis for invasive behavior in commensal pathogens. Pdf outbreak of meningococcal meningitis researchgate. The term meningitis describes inflammation of the membranes meninges andor cerebrospinal fluid csf that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. Epidemiology of meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis, haemophilus influenzae and streptococcus pneumoniae. This pathogen may also cause overwhelming sepsis, purpura fulminans, or rarely benign meningococcemia. Neisseria meningitidis untypeable was isolated from blood and tissue cultures.
The first is a meningococcal conjugate vaccine which protects against 4 serogroups a, c, w, and y and is referred to as mcv4. Meningococcal disease 14 meningococcal disease is an acute, potentially severe illness caused by the bacterium. Infection of the genitals can result in a purulent or puslike discharge from the. Meningitis lab manual antimicrobial susceptibility. Neisseria meningitidis definition of neisseria meningitidis. Microbial and host factors combine to allow this organism to invade the bloodstream and get into the central nervous system, causing severe sepsis and meningitis. Some of the most common bacteria known to cause meningitis are described below. Illness believed to be meningococcal disease was first reported in the 16th century. Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by several different types of, as well as viruses and fungibacteria. The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease in. Epidemiology of meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis, streptococcus pneumoniae, and haemophilus influenzae. Neisseria meningitidis are bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease, a very severe form of meningitis andor blood infection.
Meningitis and septicemia constitute the majority of. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Meningococcal disease wisconsin department of health services. Meningococcus, an obligate human bacterial pathogen, remains a worldwide and devastating cause of epidemic meningitis and sepsis. In children and teens, meningococcus is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. There are a number of viral and bacterial causes of meningitis, but neisseria meningitidis is the most common cause of the more serious bacterial meningitis in children who are most susceptible. Neisseria meningitidis w5, turkey volume 10, number 5may. 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. While viral meningitis is more common, bacterial meningitis can be more dangerous if it. Laboratory methods for the diagnosis of meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis, streptococcus pneumoniae, and haemophilus influenzae w h o m a n ua l, 2n d e d i t ion1 1 the first edition has the who reference whocdscsredc99. The epidemiology and serogroup distribution can change very quickly. Neisseria meningitidis is one of the major causes of meningitis in children and adolescents, but it is rarely found during the neonatal period. Neisseria meningitidis, meningococcal meningitis, meningococcemia invasive meningococcal disease is an acute and serious infection caused by the bacterium neisseria meningitidis. It can be caused by a variety of organisms that include bacteria, fungi or viruses.
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