Encapsulated Bacterial Pathogens Flashcards
H. influenzae: morphology, method for diagnosis, major virulence factors
- Morphology
- Coccobacillus
- Method/potential problems for diagnosis
- Gram negative
- Need special medium: chocolate agar + NAD + heme
- Identify with Ab to capsule
- Major virulence factors
- Polysaccharide capsule
- Endotoxin also called LPS
- IgA protease
N. meningitidis: morphology, method for diagnosis, major virulence factors
- Morphology
- Bean-shaped diplococci
- Method/potential problems for diagnosis
- Gram negative
- Ferments maltose and glucose
- Identify with antibody to capsule
- Major virulence factors
- Polysaccharide capsule
- Endotoxin also called LPS
- IgA protease
S. pneumoniae: morphology, method for diagnosis, major virulence factors
- Morphology
- Diplococci
- Can show as long chains too
- Method/potential problems for diagnosis
- Gram positive
- a-hemolytic
- Catalase-negative
- Identify with Ab to capsule
- Major virulence factors
- Polysaccharide capsule
- Pneumolysin
- IgA protease
Causes of meningitis for newborns (0-6 months)
- Group B streptococci
- E. coli
- Listeria
Causes of meningitis for children (6 months - 6 years)
- N. meningtidis
- S. pneumoniae
- H. influenzae type B
- Enteroviruses
Causes of meningitis for persons 6-60 years
- S. pneumoniae
- N. meningitidis
- Enteroviruses
- HSV
Causes of meningitis for adults 60+ years
- S. pneumoniae
- Gram (-) rods
- Listeria
H. influenzae: variants, disease association, cross-reactivity, vaccine
- Variants
- 6 serotypes a-f
- Disease association
- > 90% caused by serotype b in unvaccinated population
- Cross-reactivity
- Teichoic acids of gram (+) organisms
- Vaccine
- Type B only: polysaccharide + carrier protein
S. pneumoniae: variants, disease association, cross-reactivity, vaccine
- Variants
- > 80 serotypes
- Disease association
- 12 types responsible for > 80% of disease
- Cross-reactivity
- Human ABO antigens
- Vaccine
- 23 serotype vaccine OR
- 13 serotype vaccine
- Polysaccharide
- Not for infants
N. meningitidis
- Variants
- 9 serogroups
- Disease association
- Type A responsible for most epidemics
- Cross-reactivity
- K1 capsule of E. coli, brain gangliosides
- Vaccine
- All but group B
- Conjugate
- Not for infants
Immunogenicity of H. influenzae capsule
- Same polysaccharide found in serogroup B found in almost all Gram-positive organisms (in teichoic acids)
- In medical sense, this is important because these other bacteria may induce a protective immune response against H. influenzae
- Understanding this principle has led to development of new highly effective vaccines
Immunogenicity of N. meningitidis capsule
- Type B polysaccharide is composed of a polymer of N-acetyl neuraminic acid
- Medically important because unlike other capsular groups, group B capsule is non-immunogenic in humans because N-acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid) is extensively found in humans (e.g. brains, kidneys)
- This has prevented development of polysaccharide capsular vaccine against this group
- Also, group B capsule is identical to K1, capsule of E. coli, which causes meningitis in neonates (0-6 months)
Use of antibodies to capsules to identify organisms/diagnose disease
- If patient is infected with encapsulated form of one of these organisms, the organism may shed its capsule in blood, urine, or spinal fluid
- May be possible to detect capsular material in body fluids with antiserum directed at specific capsular polysaccharide without being able to culture organism
- Several different methods available commercially:
- Latex agglutination
- Countercurrent Immuno-Electrophoresis (CIE)
Precautions that need to be recognized when using antisera for diagnosis
- Some of capsules or teichoic acids of S. pneumoniae will crossreact with H. influenzae type B capsule
- Antiserum against H. influenzae serotype B will react with some capsular types of S. pneumoniae and with its teichoic acid because it is Gram (+)
- Medically important because cross-reactions may lead to misdiagnosis of H. influenzae or S. pneumoniae infection
Importance of identification of capsular types of N. meningitidis
- There is no vaccine against the serogroup B of N. meningitidis