Neisseria meningitidis
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Classification
Kingdom: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
Class: Beta Proteobacteria
Order: Neisseriales
Family: Neisseriaceae
Genus: Neisseria
Species: N. meningitidis
Binomial Name
Neisseria meningitis
Description and significance
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Genome structure
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Cell structure and metabolism
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Neisseria meningitidis, is a gram-negative diplococcal bacterium. A notable feature of this bacterium is its prominent antiphagocytic polysaccharide capsule. The 12 strains that have been identified are grouped on the basis of their capsular polysaccharides; which in certain cases can be further subdivided according to the presence of outer membrane protein and lipopolysaccharide antigens. Neisseria meningitidis cell surface also posseses type IV pili, which are retractile fibers, which serve in their attachment to epithelial cells during host colonization and invasion. As far as sources of energy are concerned, glucose and lactose are believed to be essential for successful colonization.
Ecology
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Pathology
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As mentioned earlier, there are approximately 12 serogroups of Neisseria meningiditis. Among these known strains, serogroups A, B, and C have been found to be those responsible for 90% of meningococcal meningitis cases. Specifically, serogroup A has been implicated in meningitis epidemics in developing countries, while serogroups B and C have been implicated in meningitis epidemics in already developed countries.
Neisseria meningitidis is only found in human hosts of which 5-15% of the population are carriers. Specifically, the bacterium can be found in the nasopharyngeal tract, in its non-detrimental form. Transformation from it's initial harmless state into meningitis arises when the bacterium crosses the mucosal barrier via type IV pili, and enter the blood stream. Once in the blood stream they are free to travel to the cerebral spinal fluid or the meninges, tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord. Accordingly, this infection of the meninges results in bacterial meningitis, which mainly affects adults, and should not be confused with viral meningitis which affects babies and young children.
Meningitis results in the swelling of the meninges and causes flu-like such as high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness and pain that make touching your chin to your chest difficult. It is also highly contagious and could result in death if left untreated. Fortunately, antibiotics and steriod medications can be used to cure the disease and treat inflammation, respectively.
Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neisseria_meningitidis http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects1999/bmenin/nmenin.html http://www.sanger.ac.uk/Projects/N_meningitidis http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/meningitis-cause