Stoeckel- Neisseria

Question 1

Neisseria is the only genus of ____________ to frequently cause disease

Answer 1

Gram-negative cocci

Question 2

Neisseria is an obligate ______ pathogen

Answer 2

human

cannot survive without host

Question 3

what are the 2 main Neisseria species?

Answer 3

A) N. meningitidis

B) N. gonorrhoeae

Question 4

what are the important virulence factors for N. gonorrhoeae?

Answer 4

A) no capsule
B) STRONG adhesins
C) phase/antigenic variation

Question 5

________ are usually diplococci

Answer 5

N. gonorrhoeae

Question 6

the Human _______ is the only reservoir for N. meningitidis

Answer 6

nasopharynx

Question 7

Meningococci invade what?

Answer 7

invade mucous membranes of nasopharynx

Question 8

type ____ pili allow meningococci to attach to the host’s CNS

Answer 8

type 4 pili

Question 9

what aspect of meningococci causes damage to the host tissue?

Answer 9

the Lipooligosacccharide (LOS)

Question 10

How does Gonococci enter its host?

Answer 10

attaches to columnar epithelia of cervix or urethra

Question 11

the Adhesins of gonococci are controlled by what?

Answer 11

A) Phase variation
-presence/absence
B) Antigenic variation
-composition

Question 12

what is phase variation in E. coli?

Answer 12

expression of gene product gets turned on/off at high frequency

“strobe light” genes

Question 13

N. gonorrhoeae- Phase variation

Answer 13

Slipped strand mispairing
A) Colony opacity-associated genes (Opa genes)
-encode outer membrane proteins

Question 14

what is Opa? what does its presence result in?

Answer 14

Opa = opacity-associated genes

Opa’s presence results in neutrophil uptake

Question 15

antigenic variation in N. gonorrhoeae changes in composition or structure of _________

Answer 15

surface molecules (pili)

Question 16

T/f: gonococci multiply rapidly

Answer 16

true

Question 17

Gonococci lack ______, which means they are not mobile

Answer 17

flagella

Question 18

how does the extracellular protease of Gonococci enable it to “hide” from phagocytosis?

Answer 18

it cleaves IgA1

removes Fc-receptor end of antibody

Question 19

what microbes can cleave IgA1?

Answer 19

Gonococci
Haemophilus

(and streptococci)

Question 20

Gonococci attach to _______ cells

Answer 20

non-ciliated cells

A) fallopian tubes, columnar epithelium

Question 21

what role does ciliary stasis play in the spread/mult of gonococci?

Answer 21

host cell ciliated mobility slows then ceases

-prevents host cells from moving gonococci out of body

Question 22

when ciliated cells die, they _____ from epithelial surfaces. this is caused by what?

Answer 22

slough from epithelial surfaces

caused by LPS and peptidoglycans

Question 23

how are gonococci “internalized”?

Answer 23

non-ciliated microvilli engulf bactera

internalized by “parasite directed endocytosis”

Question 24

Gonococci may multiply within ________ during intracellular replication. these _______ fuse with the basement membrane of the host

Answer 24

Vacuoles

Question 25

Vacuoles discharge the gonococci into what layer?

Answer 25

sub-epithelial connective tissue

Question 26

T/F: gonococci produce exotoxins

Answer 26

false

Question 27

what causes the damage associated with gonococci? what is the effect?

Answer 27

LPS (LOS) of the gonococci

• triggers release of TNF-alpha
• sloughing of ciliated cells
• non-ciliated cells lyse

Question 28

how does Neisseria evade LPS recognition from the host body?

Answer 28

alter LPS with host-derived sialic acid

-sialic acid is part of red blood cells

Question 29

LOS (lipooligosaccharides) are similar to antigens on human ________

Answer 29

erythrocytes

allows evasion from host immune system

Question 30

what is the main virulence factor differences between meningococci and gonococci?

Answer 30

Meningococci heavily encapsulated (polysaccharide)

and produces hemolysin

Question 31

what is PID? what causes it?

Answer 31

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Gonococcal infection of female upper reproductive tract

Question 32

what is Epididymitis?

Answer 32

Ascent of gonococci into upper reproductive tract of men

Question 33

Disseminated gonococcal infections (DGI): what are its symptoms

Answer 33

A) inflammation of tendons and joints
B) suppurative arthritis
C) can result from PID (endotoxin release)

Question 34

Purpura Fulminans is caused by which microbe?

Answer 34

Meningococcus

causes coagulation in small blood vessels

Question 35

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is caused by what? what are its effects?

Answer 35

caused by Meningococcus

causes meningitis, shock, death

Question 36

what dictates the damage and risk of death from Purpura Fulminans?

Answer 36

higher the host response = greater damage/risk

Question 37

Most Neisseria are resistant to which antibiotics?

Answer 37

A) Penicillin
B) tetracycline
C) most other antibiotics

Question 38

T/F: vaccines are not available for gonococci or meningococci

Answer 38

False: vaccines available for meningococci. none available for gonococci

Question 39

why are vaccines for gonococci difficult to make?

Answer 39

Antigenic and phase variation of N. Gonococci

Question 40

Adhesin production in Gonococci is controlled by what?

Answer 40

• Phase variation

- Antigenic variation

Question 41

N. meningitidis has outer membranes and pili similar to what other bacteria?

Answer 41

Haemophilus