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detection of neisseria meningitidis in cerebrospinal fluid using a multiplex pcr and the luminex detection technology.rapid clinical and laboratory diagnoses are the foundation for a successful management of serious infections with neisseria meningitidis. a species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction (pcr) coupled with fluidic microarrays using microbeads (the luminex xmap™ technology) can detect pathogens most frequently found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. the luminex suspension array system uniquely combines flow cytometry, microspheres, laser technology, digital signal processing, and trad ...201221993638
Development of a Multiplex PCR Assay for Detection and Genogrouping of Neisseria meningitidis.Neisseria meningitidis is a leading pathogen of epidemic bacterial meningitis and fulminant sepsis worldwide. Twelve different N. meningitidis serogroups have been identified to date based on antigenic differences in the capsular polysaccharide. However, more than 90% of human cases of N. meningitidis meningitis are the result of infection with just five serogroups, A, B, C, W135, and Y. Efficient methods of detection and genogrouping of N. meningitidis isolates are needed, therefore, in order t ...201222090406
Analysis of the immune response to Neisseria meningitidis using a proteomics approach.The availability of Neisseria genome sequences together with improvements in proteomic technologies provide the opportunity to study at high resolution the immune response to Neisseria meningitidis. In this chapter, we describe a protocol that combines two-dimensional (2D) SDS-PAGE of meningococcal outer membranes with western blotting of human antisera to identify proteins associated with the development of protective antibody responses. This methodology can identify putative vaccine candidates ...201221993655
periodic presumptive treatment of curable sexually transmitted infections among sex workers: recent experience with implementation.curable sexually transmitted infections (stis) are common occupational hazards for female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries. yet, most infections are asymptomatic and sensitive screening tests are rarely affordable or feasible. periodic presumptive treatment (ppt) has been used as a component of sti control interventions to rapidly reduce sti prevalence.201222156895
antigen dose escalation study of a vegf-based therapeutic cancer vaccine in non human primates.cigb-247 is a cancer therapeutic, based on recombinant modified human vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) as antigen, in combination with the oil free adjuvant vssp (very small sized proteoliposomes of neisseria meningitidis outer membrane). our previous experimental studies in mice with cigb-247 have shown that the vaccine has both anti-tumoral and anti-metastatic activity, and produces both antibodies that block vegf-vegf receptor interaction, and a specific t-cell cytotoxic response aga ...201222075086
expression, purification, and crystallization of neisserial outer membrane proteins.integral outer membrane proteins (omps) play key roles in solute transport, adhesion, and other processes. in neisseria, they can also function as major protective antigens. structural, biophysical, and immunological studies of neisserial omps require their isolation in milligram quantities. purification of any omp directly from neisseria would require the growth of large quantities of cell mass, with attendant concerns about safety and convenience. as a result, many investigators have developed ...201221993641
the use of the pan-neisseria microarray and experimental design for transcriptomics studies of neisseria.the pan-neisseria microarray was the first bacterial microarray to address multiple strains and species, and is a tool specifically developed for the performance of comparative studies within and between species. to achieve this, its design was based upon a detailed comparison of multiple genomes, prior to probe selection, and serial triage to optimize sensitivity and specificity. while this tool can be used for transcriptional comparisons of the same species, such as isogenic mutants, or strain ...201221993653
antigen identification starting from the genome: a "reverse vaccinology" approach applied to menb.most of the vaccines available today, albeit very effective, have been developed using traditional "old-style" methodologies. technologies developed in recent years have opened up new perspectives in the field of vaccinology and novel strategies are now being used to design improved or new vaccines against infections for which preventive measures do not exist. the reverse vaccinology (rv) approach is one of the most powerful examples of biotechnology applied to the field of vaccinology for ident ...201221993656
high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in hiv-infected men during routine outpatient visits in the netherlands.in the netherlands, no guidelines exist for routine sexually transmitted infection (sti) screening of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-infected men having sex with men (msm). we assessed prevalence and factors associated with asymptomatic sti.201222183837
a laminar-flow chamber assay for measuring bacterial adhesion under shear stress.shear stress levels generated by circulating blood have a strong impact on biological processes taking place in the vasculature. it is therefore important to take them into account when studying infectious agents targeting the endothelium. here we describe a protocol using disposable laminar-flow chambers and video microcopy to study bacterial infections in an environment that mimics the bloodstream. we initially focused on the interaction of neisseria meningitidis with human endothelial cells a ...201221993647
generating knock-out and complementation strains of neisseria meningitidis.the human-restricted pathogens neisseria meningitidis and neisseria gonorrhoeae are naturally competent for dna uptake. this trait has been exploited extensively for genetic manipulation of these bacteria in the laboratory. most transformation protocols were developed for n. gonorrhoeae, but appear to work also for n. meningitidis. in this chapter, we describe a number of protocols for genetic manipulation of n. meningitidis. specifically, we describe how to (1) obtain knock-out mutants containi ...201221993639
neisseria meningitidis: biology, microbiology, and epidemiology.neisseria meningitidis (the meningococcus) causes significant morbidity and mortality in children and young adults worldwide through epidemic or sporadic meningitis and/or septicemia. in this review, we describe the biology, microbiology, and epidemiology of this exclusive human pathogen. n.meningitidis is a fastidious, encapsulated, aerobic gram-negative diplococcus. colonies are positive by the oxidase test and most strains utilize maltose. the phenotypic classification of meningococci, based ...201221993636
routine confirmation of positive nucleic acid amplification test results for neisseria gonorrhoeae is not necessary. 201222203751
Hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry to investigate ligand-receptor interactions.A method for exploring protein-protein interactions using hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry is described. The method monitors the exchange of backbone (amide) hydrogens in solutions of deuterated water that primarily occur on portions of the protein exposed to solvent. In the presence of a protein binding partner, regions that experience reduced exchange are either part of the protein-protein interaction interface or undergo conformational changes to reduce accessibility t ...201221993650
in the nadr regulon, adhesins and diverse meningococcal functions are regulated in response to signals in human saliva.the neisseria meningitidis regulator nadr was shown to repress expression of the nada adhesin and play a major role in nada phase-variable expression. in this study, we identified through microarray analysis over 30 genes coregulated with nada in the nadr mutant and defined members of the nadr regulon through in vitro dna-binding assays. two distinct types of promoter architectures (i and ii) were identified for nadr targets, differing in both the number and position of nadr-binding sites. all n ...201222081399
Evaluation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis, N. gonorrhoeae Multiantigen Sequence Typing, and Full-Length porB Gene Sequence Analysis for Molecular Epidemiological Typing.The performance characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis were evaluated, by comparison with N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing and full-length porB sequence typing. Assessment of the relatedness of intra- and interpatient isolates showed that all three genotyping techniques display a high resolution and typeability.201222075591
the slippery slope: lubricant use and rectal sexually transmitted infections: a newly identified risk.use of lubricant products is extremely common during receptive anal intercourse (rai) yet has not been assessed as a risk for acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (stis).201222183849
Comparison of in vivo bioluminescence imaging and lavage biomarkers to assess pulmonary inflammation.Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin triggers innate immunity via TLR-4 and NF-kB signal activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of transgenic mice expressing luciferase as a marker of NF-kB activation for exploring innate immune responses to pulmonary endotoxin exposure over time thus obviating the need for serial necropsies. Transgenic rNF-kB-Luc BALB/c mice were exposed to two different types of endotoxin (Neisseria meningitidis lipooligosaccharide, and Escherichia coli lipopol ...201222133556
In vivo imaging of meningococcal disease dynamics.Neisseria meningitidis is a human specific organism that causes severe sepsis and/or meningitis with high mortality. The disease scenario is rapid and much remains unknown about the disease process and host-pathogen interaction. In this chapter, we describe a protocol for generating a bioluminescently labeled N. meningitidis strain in order to advance our understanding of meningococcal disease progression. We also describe how in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) can be used to observe novel fe ...201221993645
Defining the Roles of Human Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Related Cellular Adhesion Molecules during Neutrophil Responses to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.Symptomatic infection of humans with Neisseria gonorrhoeae is characterized by a neutrophil-rich cervical or urethral exudate, suggesting that neutrophils are important both for the clearance of these bacteria and for the pathogenesis of gonorrhea. Neisseria interacts with neutrophils through ligation of human carcinoembryonic antigen related-cellular adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) by their surface-expressed Opa proteins, resulting in bacterial binding, engulfment, and neutrophil activation. Multi ...201222064717
Antimicrobial resistance in sexually transmitted infections in the developed world: implications for rational treatment.Public health control of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is dependent on the delivery of effective therapy and so will be compromised by the emergence of resistance. The scope of the problem and the implications for treatment that follow are discussed in this review.201222143116
Novel Protein Substrates of the Phospho-Form Modification System in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Their Connection to O-Linked Protein Glycosylation.The zwitterionic phospho-form moieties phosphoethanolamine (PE) and phosphocholine (PC) are important components of bacterial membranes and cell surfaces. The major type IV pilus subunit protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, PilE, undergoes posttranslational modifications with these moieties via the activity of the pilin phospho-form transferase PptA. A number of observations relating to colocalization of phospho-form and O-linked glycan attachment sites in PilE suggested that these modifications mi ...201222083701
Determinants of the cytotoxicity of PrrC anticodon nuclease and its amelioration by tRNA repair.Breakage of tRNA(Lys(UUU)) by the Escherichia coli anticodon nuclease PrrC (EcoPrrC) underlies a host antiviral response to phage T4 infection that is ultimately thwarted by a virus-encoded RNA repair system. PrrC homologs are prevalent in other bacteria, but their activities and substrates are not defined. We find that induced expression of EcoPrrC is toxic in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and E. coli, whereas the Neisseria meningitidis PrrC (NmePrrC) is not. PrrCs consist of an N-terminal NTPase mo ...201222101242
Analysis of parameters associated with prevention of cellular apoptosis by pathogenic neisseriae and purified porins.The process of cellular apoptosis is mediated by a number of microbial pathogens to modulate host defense mechanisms. Inhibition of apoptosis is thought to favor microbial survival, replication or immune evasion, while induction of apoptosis is likely to promote escape of the organisms from host cells. Several studies have reported that infection with Neisseria spp. can inhibit or reduce apoptotic cell death, thus allowing adaptation, intracellular replication, and immune evasion, events that ar ...201221993654
Protective role of Toll-like receptor 4 in experimental gonococcal infection of female mice.Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Like all Gram-negative bacteria, the outer membrane of the gonococcus is rich in endotoxin, a known ligand for Toll-like receptor (TLR)4. However, the role of endotoxin and that of its cognate receptor TLR4 in the mucosal response to acute gonococcal infection in the genital tract of women is unclear. To test this, we examined the course of infection after vaginal inoculation of N. gonorrhoeae in mice carrying the Lps(d) ...201221937985
Techniques to measure pilus retraction forces.The importance of physical forces in biology is becoming more appreciated. Neisseria gonorrhoeaehas become a paradigm for the study of physical forces in the bacterial world. Cycles of elongations and retractions of Type IV pili enables N. gonorrhoeaebacteria to exert forces on its environment, forces that play major roles in the life cycle of this pathogen. In order to better understand the role of these forces, there is a need to fully characterize them. Here, we present two different techniqu ...201221993648
Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections Among Men and Women Entering the National Job Training Program-United States, 2004-2009.: National notifiable disease data indicate that there were 99 cases of gonorrhea for every 100,000 persons in the United States in 2009, the lowest recorded gonorrhea rate in US history. However, the extent to which declining case reports signify a reduction in prevalence is unknown.201222183847
classification and pathogenesis of meningococcal infections.the clinical symptoms induced by neisseria meningitidis reflect compartmentalized intravascular and intracranial bacterial growth and inflammation. in this chapter, we describe a classification system for meningococcal disease based on the nature of the clinical symptoms. meningococci invade the subarachnoid space and cause meningitis in as many as 50-70% of patients. the bacteremic phase is moderate in patients with meningitis and mild systemic meningococcemia but graded high in patients with s ...201221993637
a dna vaccine strategy for effective antibody induction to pathogen-derived antigens.dna-based vaccines are currently being developed for treating a diversity of human diseases including cancers, autoimmune conditions, allergies, and microbial infections. in this chapter, we present a general protocol that can be used as a starting point for developing dna vaccines to pathogen-derived antigens, using neisseria meningitidis as an example. in addition, we describe a fusion gene-based vaccine protocol for increasing the potency of dna vaccines that are based on poorly immunogenic a ...201221993657
Prevalence and Correlates of Mycoplasma genitalium Infection Among Female Sex Workers in Kampala, Uganda.Background. The importance of Mycoplasma genitalium in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-burdened sub-Saharan Africa is relatively unknown. We assessed the prevalence and explored determinants of this emerging sexually transmitted infection (STI) in high-risk women in Uganda. Methods. Endocervical swabs from 1025 female sex workers in Kampala were tested for Mycoplasma genitalium using a commercial Real-TM polymerase chain reaction assay. Factors associated with prevalent Mycoplasma genitalium, ...201222102734
acoustic wave immunosensing of a meningococcal antigen using gold nanoparticle-enhanced mass sensitivity.bacterial meningitis is an infection of the thin membranes covering the brain and spinal cord by a number of microorganisms including neisseria meningitidis, which can lead to permanent neurological damage in the event of late diagnosis. given the quick onset and severity of the disease, there is a clear need for a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic technique. here, we describe the development and evaluation of an acoustic wave sensor, the quartz crystal microbalance (qcm), as a rapid immu ...201222104649
methods for studying neisseria meningitidis biofilms.neisseria meningitidisis an organism whose environmental niche is limited to the human host. it can frequently colonize the human nasopharynx and has the ability to cause severe systemic infections. these infections can be sporadic, endemic or occur in outbreaks associated with more virulent meningococcal strains. studies have demonstrated that the meningococcus can form biofilms both in vivo and ex vivo. in this chapter, we discuss methods to establish biofilms in the laboratory for in-depth bi ...201221993646
evaluation of screening tests for detecting chlamydia trachomatis: bias associated with the patient-infected-status algorithm.in recent years, the evaluation of nucleic acid amplification tests (naats) for detecting chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhea is based on a methodology called the patient-infected-status algorithm (pisa). in the simplest version of pisa, 4 test-specimen combinations (comparator tests) are used to define the gold standard. if a person shows a positive result by any 2 or more of these 4 comparator tests, the person is classified as infected; otherwise, the person is considered to be unin ...201222157304
tmt labelling for the quantitative analysis of adaptive responses in the meningococcal proteome.in addition to standard gel-based proteomic approaches, gel-free approaches using isobaric label reagents, such as tandem mass tags (tmt), provide a straightforward method for studying adaptations in microbial proteomes to changing environmental conditions. this approach does not have the known difficulties of 2-d gel electrophoresis with proteins of extreme biochemical properties. the workflow described here was designed to study adaptive responses in bacteria and has been applied to study the ...201221993643
Microbiota in the oral subgingival biofilm is associated with obesity in adolescence.To test the hypothesis whether microbiota in oral biofilm is linked with obesity in adolescents we designed this cross-sectional study. Obese adolescents (n = 29) with a mean age of 14.7 years and normal weight subjects (n = 58) matched by age and gender were examined with respect to visible plaque index (VPI%) and gingival inflammation (bleeding on probing (BOP%)). Stimulated saliva was collected. They answered a questionnaire concerning medical history, medication, oral hygiene habits, smoking ...201221996660
human dendritic cell culture and bacterial infection.dendritic cells (dc) play a key role in the development of natural immunity to microbes. the dc form a bridge between the innate and adaptive immune system by providing key instructions particularly to antigen naïve t-cells. the interaction of dc with t lymphocytes involves three signals: (1) antigen processing and presentation in context of mhc class i and/or ii, (2) expression of t cell co-stimulatory molecules, and (3) cytokine production. studying the interactions of dcs with specific pathog ...201221993649
ongoing sexually transmitted disease acquisition and risk-taking behavior among us hiv-infected patients in primary care: implications for prevention interventions.to better understand the factors associated with hiv- and sexually transmitted disease (std)-transmitting behavior among hiv-infected persons, we estimated std prevalence and incidence and associated risk factors among a diverse sample of hiv-infected patients in primary care.201222183836
Meningococcal ligands and molecular targets of the host.Meningococcal mechanisms of adhesion are complex, involving multiple adhesins and their respective target receptors on host cells. Three major surface structures--pili, Opa, and Opc--have been known for some time to mediate meningococcal adhesion to target human cells. More recently, several other relatively minor adhesins have also come to light. The literature on bacterial adhesion mechanisms provides numerous examples of various adhesins acting cooperatively in an apparently hierarchical and ...201221993644
Cost Savings and Increased Efficiency Using a Stratified Specimen Pooling Strategy for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.Idaho Chlamydia trachomatis-Neisseria gonorrhoeae specimens from July 2009 were pooled by stratified specimen pooling, an approach that removes high-risk specimens from the pooling population and pools low-risk specimens to maximize pooling efficiency. This approach reduced pool positivity rates by 8%, repeated tests by 9%, and saved 47.4% in direct costs.201222183846
Two Strikingly Different Signaling Pathways Are Induced by Meningococcal Type IV Pili on Endothelial and Epithelial Cells.Following adhesion on brain microvasculature, Neisseria meningitidis is able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by recruiting the polarity complex and the cell junction proteins, thus allowing the opening of the paracellular route. This feature is the consequence of the activation by the type IV pili of the ß(2)-adrenergic receptor/ß-arrestin signaling pathway. Here, we have extended this observation to primary peripheral endothelial cells, and we report that the interaction of N. meningitid ...201222064711
Transcriptome analyses in the interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with mammalian host cells.Infectious disease research has been revolutionized by two recent developments in the field of genome biology: (1) the sequencing of the human genome as well as many pathogen genomes and (2) the development of high-throughput technologies including microarray technology, proteomics, and metabolomics. Microarray studies enable a deeper understanding of the genetic evolution of pathogens and investigation of the determinants of pathogenicity on a whole-genome scale. Host studies, in turn, allow fo ...201221993652
Reply to "Routine Confirmation of Positive Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results for Neisseria gonorrhoeae Is Not Necessary". 201222203752
identification and functional characterization of srnas in neisseria meningitidis.a riboregulated network, in which small rnas (srnas) regulate the stability and thus translation of transcripts (mrna), has only recently been discovered in prokaryotes. yet, during the last 5 years, hundreds of srnas have been identified in various bacterial species by using a wide variety of both computational and experimental approaches. the majority of the srnas interact with the 5'-untranslated region (utr) of target mrnas, thereby influencing the stability of target mrnas, or by either sup ...201221993640
recalibrating the gram stain diagnosis of male urethritis in the era of nucleic acid amplification testing.criteria for diagnosis of male urethritis based on a gram-stained smear (gss) of urethral discharge were developed before the era of nucleic acid amplification testing (naat) for neisseria gonorrhoeae (ng) and chlamydia trachomatis (ct) and may be too stringent when considering the higher sensitivity of naat.201222183839
access to health services and sexually transmitted infections in a cohort of relocating african american public housing residents: an association between travel time and infection.background:: high incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (sti) in blacks have been attributed to multiple factors. however, few articles have discussed spatial access to healthcare as a driver of disparities. the objective of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between travel time to a healthcare provider and the likelihood of testing positive for 1 of 3 stis in a sample of adults living in public housing. methods:: one hundred and eight black adults in atlanta, ga ...201222249300
first cases of neisseria gonorrhoeae resistant to ceftriaxone in catalonia, spain, may 2011. 201222244992
adenylylation control by intra- or intermolecular active-site obstruction in fic proteins.fic proteins that are defined by the ubiquitous fic (filamentation induced by cyclic amp) domain are known to catalyse adenylylation (also called ampylation); that is, the transfer of amp onto a target protein. in mammalian cells, adenylylation of small gtpases through fic proteins injected by pathogenic bacteria can cause collapse of the actin cytoskeleton and cell death. it is unknown how this potentially deleterious adenylylation activity is regulated in the widespread fic proteins that are f ...201222266942
meningococcal outer membrane protein nhha triggers apoptosis in macrophages.phagocytotic cells play a fundamental role in the defense against bacterial pathogens. one mechanism whereby bacteria evade phagocytosis is to produce factors that trigger apoptosis. here we identify for the first time a meningococcal protein capable of inducing macrophage apoptosis. the conserved meningococcal outer membrane protein nhha (neisseria hia/hsf homologue a, also known as hsf) mediates bacterial adhesion and interacts with extracellular matrix components heparan sulphate and laminin. ...201222238624
inhibition of bacterial carbonic anhydrases and zinc proteases: from orphantargets to innovative new antibiotic drugs.zinc-containing enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrases (cas) and metalloproteases (mps) play critical functions in bacteria, being involved in various steps of their life cycle, which are important for survival, colonization, acquisition of nutrients for growth and proliferation, facilitation of dissemination, invasion and pathogenicity. the development of resistance to many classes of clinically used antibiotics emphasizes the need of new antibacterial drug targets to be explored. there is a weal ...201222214451
mper regulates the mtr efflux locus in neisseria gonorrhoeae and modulates antimicrobial resistance by an iron-responsive mechanism.previous studies have shown that the mper transcriptional regulator produced by neisseria gonorrhoeae represses expression of mtrf, which encodes a putative inner membrane protein (mtrf). mtrf works as an accessory protein with the mtr efflux pump helping gonococci to resist high levels of diverse hydrophobic antimicrobials. regulation of mper has been reported to occur by an iron-dependent mechanism involving fur (ferric uptake regulator). collectively, these observations suggest the presence o ...201222214775
comparison of three assays for the detection of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae in surepath pap samples and the role of pre and post-cytology testing.chlamydia trachomatis (ct) and neisseria gonorrhoeae (ng) are common sexually transmitted infections and, there is interest in screening surepath liquid-based pap (l-pap) samples with aptima combo 2 (ac2), amplicor (amp) and probetec et (pt) assays. surepath l-pap samples and a cervical swab (cs) were collected from 394 women attending health clinics in hamilton and toronto, on. l-pap samples were tested in the three assays prior to processing for cytology and the cs sample was tested by ac2. th ...201222259215
new statistical technique for analyzing mic-based susceptibility data.seventeen laboratories participated in a cooperative study to validate the regional susceptibility testing of neisseria gonorrhoeae in the netherlands. international reference strains were distributed. each laboratory determined the mic of ciprofloxacin, penicillin and tetracycline, for each strain by e-test. to explore a more transparent assessment of quality and comparability, a statistical regression model was fitted to the data that accounted for the censoring of the mics. the mean mic as fo ...201222232288
epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections, hiv, and related high-risk behaviors among female sex workers in guangxi autonomous region, china.this study assessed the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (stis), hiv, and associated risk factors among female sex workers (fsws) in guangxi autonomous region, china. a cross-sectional study of 488 fsws was conducted using a structured questionnaire to collect sociodemographic and behavioral information. biological specimens from subjects were sampled to detect various stis and hiv infection. among fsws, the prevalence rates of syphilis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, chlamydia trach ...201222274163
clinical evaluation of the bd probetec™ neisseria gonorrhoeae qx amplified dna assay on the bd viper™ system with xtr™ technology.background:: the excellent sensitivity and specificity of commercially available nucleic acid amplification tests (naats) for the identification of neisseria gonorrhoeae have been demonstrated. this study evaluated the performance of the bd probetec™ n. gonorrhoeae q (gcq) amplified dna assay on the bd viper™ system with xtr™ technology in a multicenter study. methods:: specimens were collected at 7 geographically diverse clinical sites from 1846 women and men attending sexually transmitted dise ...201222249304
transactional sexual relationships, sexually transmitted infection risk, and condom use among young black women in peri-urban areas of the western cape province of south africa.background: transactional sexual behavior has been demonstrated as an important factor underlying the hiv epidemic in sub-saharan africa. the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between having a history of transactional sexual relationships with condom use and sti risk. methods: participants completed a behavioral questionnaire in isixhosa and provided self-collected vaginal swabs which were tested for chlamydia trachomatis, neisseria gonorrhea, and trichomonas vaginalis. multinom ...201222265179
treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease.pelvic inflammatory disease (pid), one of the most common infections in nonpregnant women of reproductive age, remains an important public health problem. it is associated with major long-term sequelae, including tubal factor infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. in addition, treatment of acute pid and its complications incurs substantial health care costs. prevention of these long-term sequelae is dependent upon development of treatment strategies based on knowledge of the mi ...201122228985
Quantification of polyphenols during retting and characterization of bacteria from the Kadinamkulam Backwaters, Kerala.The retting environment which provides a competitive niche for specialized microbes is speculated to harbour a variety of microbes with high biodegradation potential. In this context, an effort has been made to isolate and identify bacterial species having high tolerance to phenol In vitro. Maximum polyphenol (1.897 mg l(-1)) as observed during the initial period of retting, which decreased as retting proceeded. Based on biochemical characterization, the isolated bacterial strains were identifie ...201121888245
Innate immune mediator profiles and their regulation in a novel polarized immortalized epithelial cell model derived from human endocervix.The endocervix in the female reproductive tract (FRT) is susceptible to sexually transmitted pathogens such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Endocervical epithelial cells in vivo make innate immune mediators that likely aid in the protection from these pathogens. In vitro studies to investigate the innate epithelial cell immune response to endocervical pathogens have been hindered by the paucity of human endocervix-derived epithelial cell lines that display the differentiation ...201121943934
gonococcal infection in symptomatic and asymptomatic persons seeking medical clinics in sofia--a 3-year study 2008-2010.the aim was to determine the prevalence of gonococcal infection and to compare the results with those received by other researchers, because in bulgaria a good medical practice for the laboratory confirmation, report and therapy is lacking. a total of 617 specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic persons attending clinics in sofia from january 2008 to december 2010 were tested by culture and in-house pcr. using pcr neisseria gonorrhoeae was identified in six urethral (6.25%) and eight (1.54%) ...201122085362
Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles associated with bacterial meningitis among children: A referral hospital-based study in Iran.Bacterial meningitis continues to be associated with high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide, especially in the pediatric age group. This study was performed to identify the microbial etiologies of meningitis among 31 children, who were admitted in the Emergency Ward of a referral pediatric hospital in Iran. Culture identification showed that Streptococcus pneumoniae (12 subjects), Haemophilus influenzae (11 subjects) were the most common bacteria, followed by Escherichia coli (7 cases) and ...201122207285
meningococcal factor h binding proteins in epidemic strains from africa: implications for vaccine development.factor h binding protein (fhbp) is an important antigen for vaccines against meningococcal serogroup b disease. the protein binds human factor h (fh), which enables the bacteria to resist serum bactericidal activity. little is known about the vaccine-potential of fhbp for control of meningococcal epidemics in africa, which typically are caused by non-group b strains.201121909444
the neisseria meningitidis znud zinc receptor contributes to interactions with epithelial cells and supports heme utilization when expressed in escherichia coli.neisseria meningitidis employs redundant heme acquisition mechanisms, including tonb receptor-dependent and receptor-independent uptakes. the tonb-dependent zinc receptor znud shares significant sequence similarity to huma, a heme receptor of moraxella catarrhalis, and contains conserved motifs found in many heme utilization proteins. we present data showing that, when expressed in escherichia coli, znud allowed heme capture on the cell surface and supported the heme-dependent growth of an e. co ...201122083713
An extended ß7a7 substrate-binding loop is essential for efficient catalysis by 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate synthase.The enzyme 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate (KDO8P) synthase catalyzes the reaction between phosphoenolpyruvate and arabinose 5-phosphate (A5P) in the first committed step in the biosynthetic pathway for the formation of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate, an important component in the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. KDO8P synthase is evolutionarily related to the first enzyme of the shikimate pathway, 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAH7P) synthase, which uses erythrose 4-ph ...201121942786
self-screening for neisseria gonorrhoeae and chlamydia trachomatis in the human immunodeficiency virus clinic--high yields and high acceptability.despite antiretroviral therapy (art), incident human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) continues to rise, and sexually transmitted infections (sti) are well known for their part in hiv transmission. national guidelines recommend routine sti screening in hiv-positive individuals, but despite this, reported uptake remains low.201122082720
Carbohydrate-Monophosphoryl Lipid A Conjugates Are Fully Synthetic Self-Adjuvanting Cancer Vaccines Eliciting Robust Immune Responses in the Mouse.Tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) are useful targets in the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines. However, a serious problem with them is the poor immunogenicity. To overcome the problem, a monophosphorylated derivative of Neisseria meningitidis lipid A was explored as a potential carrier molecule and built-in adjuvant for the construction of structurally defined fully synthetic glycoconjugate vaccines. Some paradigm-shifting discoveries about the monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) ...201122013921
[the outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease in the municipalities of goleniów and przybiernów in march 2009. control measures taken in the outbreak area].the paper discusses the organisation of epidemiologic surveillance covering people who suffered from invasive meningococcal disease in the municipalities of goleniów and przybiernów from 10.03.2009 to 31.03.2009. infections were caused by type c neisseria meningitidis, a strain belonging to the hyperinvasive clonal complex st-11. the attack rate was 14.71 per 100,000 inhabitants in the town and municipality of goleniów and 19.26 per 100,000 inhabitants in the municipality of przybiernów. because ...201122184943
Fatal Neisseria meningitidis serogroup X sepsis in immunocompromised patients in Spain. Virulence of clinical isolates.BACKGROUND: Neisseria meningitidis X (NmX) is a minority meningococcus serogroup for which no vaccine is available. Huge meningococcus X outbreaks occurred in West Africa but developed countries have reported only sporadic cases. Two invasive fatal cases are presented. METHODS: Isolates were characterized by serogrouping (latex agglutination and genogroup X-specific polymerase-chain-reaction), PorA and FetA typing, multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Immunocompetent ...201122108049
gonorrhea: what goes around comes around. 201121930743
Comparative analysis of salivary bacterial microbiome diversity in edentulous infants and their mothers or primary care givers using pyrosequencing.Bacterial contribution to oral disease has been studied in young children, but there is a lack of data addressing the developmental perspective in edentulous infants. Our primary objectives were to use pyrosequencing to phylogenetically characterize the salivary bacterial microbiome of edentulous infants and to make comparisons against their mothers. Saliva samples were collected from 5 edentulous infants (mean age?=?4.6±1.2 mo old) and their mothers or primary care givers (mean age?=?30.8±9.5 y ...201121853142
Liquid-based urine cytology as a tool for detection of human papillomavirus, Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma in men.Background: Liquid-based urine cytology (LB-URC) was evaluated for cytological diagnosis and detection of human papillomavirus (HPV), Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma.Methods: Midstream urine samples were collected from 141 male patients with urethritis and 154 controls without urethritis, and sediment cells were preserved in liquid-based cytology solution. Urethral swabs from urethritis patients were tested for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. Papanicolaou tests were performed for cyt ...201122135257
high-level cefixime- and ceftriaxone-resistant n. gonorrhoeae in europe (france): novel pena mosaic allele in a successful international clone causes treatment failure.recently, the first neisseria gonorrhoeae strain (h041) highly resistant to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (esc) ceftriaxone and cefixime, which are the last remaining options for first-line gonorrhoea treatment, was isolated in japan. here, we confirm and characterize a second strain (f89) with high-level cefixime and ceftriaxone resistance, which was isolated in france and most likely caused a treatment failure with cefixime. f89 was examined using six species-confirmatory tests, antibio ...201122155830
evaluation of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae detection in urine, endocervical, and vaginal specimens by a multiplexed isothermal thermophilic helicase-dependent amplification (thda) assay.we have developed a new research assay that combines sequence-specific sample preparation and isothermal amplification for the detection of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. the assay targets both the omp gene and the cryptic plasmid of c. trachomatis and the multicopy opa gene of n. gonorrhoeae, which are amplified and detected in a single reaction. we evaluated the ability of the assay to detect c. trachomatis and n. gonorrhoeae infections in first-catch urine, swab, ...201121956990
A functional microsatellite of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene associated with meningococcal disease.Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an abundantly expressed proinflammatory cytokine playing a critical role in innate immunity and sepsis and other inflammatory diseases. We examined whether functional MIF gene polymorphisms (-794 CATT(5-8) microsatellite and -173 G/C SNP) were associated with the occurrence and outcome of meningococcal disease in children. The CATT(5) allele was associated with the probability of death predicted by the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (P=0.001), whic ...201121990375
Genetic Manipulation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.The sexually transmitted pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, undergoes natural transformation at high frequency. This property has led to the rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance markers and to the panmictic structure of the gonococcal population. However, high-frequency transformation also makes N. gonorrhoeae one of the easiest bacterial species to manipulate genetically in the laboratory. Techniques have been developed that result in transformation frequencies >50%, allowing the identifi ...201122045584
development of a vaccine against staphylococcus aureus.a vaccine to prevent infections caused by staphylococcus aureus would have a tremendously beneficial impact on public health. in contrast to typical encapsulated bacterial pathogens, such as streptococcus pneumoniae, h. influenzae, and neisseria meningitides, the capsule of s. aureus is not clearly linked to strain virulence in vivo. furthermore, it is not clear that natural infection caused by s. aureus induces a protective humoral immune response, as does infection caused by typical encapsulat ...201122080194
phenotypic and genotypic properties of neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in norway in 2009: antimicrobial resistance warrants an immediate change in national management guidelines.despite rapidly diminishing treatment options for neisseria gonorrhoeae and high levels of ciprofloxacin resistance worldwide, norwegian guidelines still recommend ciprofloxacin as empirical treatment for gonorrhea. the present study aimed to characterize phenotypical and genotypical properties of n. gonorrhoeae isolates in norway in 2009. all viable n. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 114) from six university hospitals in norway (2009) were collected, representing 42% of all notified gonorrhea cases. ...201121960034
crystal structure of outer membrane protein nmb0315 from neisseria meningitidis.nmb0315 is an outer membrane protein of neisseria meningitidis serogroup b (nmb) and a potential candidate for a broad-spectrum vaccine against meningococcal disease. the crystal structure of nmb0315 was solved by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (sad) at a resolution of 2.4 å and revealed to be a lysostaphin-type peptidase of the m23 metallopeptidase family. the overall structure consists of three well-separated domains and has no similarity to any previously published structure. however, ...201122046377
enhanced gonococcal antimicrobial surveillance in the era of ceftriaxone resistance: a real-time pcr assay for direct detection of the neisseria gonorrhoeae h041 strain.objectives: recent emergence of the extensively drug-resistant neisseria gonorrhoeae h041 strain in japan raises concerns that gonorrhoea may soon become untreatable and emphasizes the need for enhanced surveillance. in this study we developed a real-time pcr assay for direct detection of the h041 strain. methods: two real-time pcr assays for detection of the pena gene of the h041 strain, h041-pcr1 and h041-pcr2, were developed and evaluated in parallel. assay performance was assessed using a pa ...201122207596
Neisseria meningitidis B vaccines.Invasive infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis are a serious public health problem worldwide and have a heavy economic impact. The incidence of invasive disease due to Neisseria meningitidis is highly variable according to geographical area and serogroup distribution. Since the introduction of vaccination programs with conjugated vaccine C in children and adolescents, most cases of invasive meningococcal disease in developed countries have been caused by meningococcus B. It is important to ...201121919622
cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea: it's just a matter of time. 201122096785
Septic arthritis caused by Neisseria pharyngis in an elderly patient with knee prosthesis. 201122101554
Introduction to the special section: medical advances in child sexual abuse, part 2.This volume is the second of a two-part special issue detailing state of the art practice in medical issues around child sexual abuse. The four articles in this special section discuss topics such as estimating the sexual maturity of a child from computer or photographic images; how several cases of supposed Neisseria gonorrhoeae meningitis actually were a different, but related, organism, thereby removing sexual abuse as a consideration as to etiology; what current laboratory methods are availa ...201122126104
Adherence to preventive measures after splenectomy in the hospital setting and in the community.Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI) remains a long-term risk in asplenic patients, which may be reduced by appropriate preventive measures. Specific guidelines have been developed to lower its incidence.201122000846
Neisseria sicca endocarditis requiring mitral valve replacement in a previously healthy adolescent.Infective endocarditis due to Neisseria sicca, a normal inhabitant of the upper respiratory tract, is rarely reported but associated with embolic phenomena and large vegetations often requiring surgical intervention. We report a previously healthy 12-year-old girl who presented with prolonged fever and altered mental status. The patient developed rapidly progressive respiratory insufficiency and cardiovascular instability, and echocardiography demonstrated a large vegetation on the mitral valve. ...201121975499
genome wide expression profiling reveals suppression of host defence responses during colonisation by neisseria meningitides but not n. lactamica.both neisseria meningitidis and the closely related bacterium neisseria lactamica colonise human nasopharyngeal mucosal surface, but only n. meningitidis invades the bloodstream to cause potentially life-threatening meningitis and septicaemia. we have hypothesised that the two neisserial species differentially modulate host respiratory epithelial cell gene expression reflecting their disease potential. confluent monolayers of 16hbe14 human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to live and/or d ...201122028815
multiplex isothermal helicase-dependent amplification assay for detection of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae.thermophilic helicase dependent amplification (thda), which employs helicase to unwind double-stranded dna at constant temperature, is a relatively new isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology. in this study, the development and optimization of a 4-plex thda assay for detection of chlamydia trachomatis (ct) and neisseria gonorrhoeae (ng) are described. thda is combined with sequence-specific sample preparation on magnetic beads and homogeneous endpoint fluorescence detection using dual-l ...201122000085
infectious proctitis: when to suspect it is not inflammatory bowel disease.background: proctitis is a common problem and is most frequently associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. however, the incidence of infectious proctitis appears to be rising, especially in men who have sex with men. this may be due to the rise of people participating in receptive anal sex as well as the increase in sexually transmitted infections. the most frequently reported pathogens include neisseria gonorrhoeae, chlamydia trachomatis, treponema pallidum, and herp ...201121994137
Emergence of a Neisseria gonorrhoeae clone showing decreased susceptibility to cefixime in England and Wales.The third-generation cephalosporins recommended in national guidelines are amongst the last remaining effective agents for treatment of gonorrhoea. This study characterizes gonococcal isolates with decreased cefixime susceptibility from England and Wales.201121846672
polyclonal antibody against conserved sequences of mce1a protein blocks mtb infection in macrophages.the pathogenesis of mycobacterium tuberculosis is largely due to its ability to enter and survive within human macrophages. it is suggested that a specific protein namely mammalian cell entry protein is involved in the pathogenesis and the specific gene for this protein mce1a has been identified in several pathogenic organisms such as rickettsia, shigella, escherichia coli, helicobacter, streptomyces, klebsiella, vibrio, neisseria, rhodococcus, nocardioides, saccharopolyspora erthyrae, and pseud ...201122159737
The soluble recombinant Neisseria meningitidis adhesin NadA(?351-405) stimulates human monocytes by binding to extracellular Hsp90.The adhesin NadA favors cell adhesion/invasion by hypervirulent Neisseria meningitidis B (MenB). Its recombinant form NadA(?351-405,) devoid of the outer membrane domain, is an immunogenic candidate for an anti-MenB vaccine able to stimulate monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. In this study we investigated the molecular mechanism of NadA(?351-405) cellular effects in monocytes. We show that NadA(?351-405) (against which we obtained polyclonal antibodies in rabbits), binds to hsp90, but n ...201121949862
specialization of an exonuclease iii family enzyme in the repair of 3' dna lesions during base excision repair in the human pathogen neisseria meningitidis.we have previously demonstrated that the two exonuclease iii (xth) family members present within the obligate human pathogen neisseria meningitidis, nape and nexo, are important for survival under conditions of oxidative stress. of these, only nape possesses ap endonuclease activity, while the primary function of nexo remained unclear. we now reveal further functional specialization at the level of 3'-po(4) processing for nexo. we demonstrate that the bi-functional meningococcal glycosylases nth ...201122067446
sexual assault and abuse of children.testing for sexually transmitted infections (stis) in children presents a number of problems for the practitioner that are not usually faced when testing adults for the same infections. the identification of an sti in a child can have, in addition to medical implications, serious legal implications. the presence of an sti is often used to support the presence or allegations, or, in some cases, may prompt an investigation of possible abuse. the purpose of this paper is to review the recent data o ...201122080264
fbpa - a bacterial transferrin with more to offer.background: gram negative bacteria require iron for growth and virulence. it has been shown that certain pathogenic bacteria such as neisseria gonorrhoeae possess a periplasmic protein called ferric binding protein (fbpa), which is a node in the transport of iron from the cell exterior to the cytosol. scope of review: the relevant literature is reviewed which establishes the molecular mechanism of fbpa mediated iron transport across the periplasm to the inner membrane. major conclusions: here we ...201121933698
Study of a localized meningococcal meningitis epidemic in Burkina Faso: incidence, carriage, and immunity.To better understand localized meningococcal meningitis epidemics, we evaluated a serogroup A (NmA) epidemic in Burkina Faso by surveillance, carriage, and seroprevalence studies.201121998478
crystal structure of a bacterial homologue of the bile acid sodium symporter asbt.high cholesterol levels greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. about 50 per cent of cholesterol is eliminated from the body by its conversion into bile acids. however, bile acids released from the bile duct are constantly recycled, being reabsorbed in the intestine by the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (asbt, also known as slc10a2). it has been shown in animal models that plasma cholesterol levels are considerably lowered by specific inhibitors of asbt, and asbt is t ...201121976025
the role of bradykinin and the effect of the bradykinin receptor antagonist icatibant in porcine sepsis.bradykinin (bk) is regarded as an important mediator of edema, shock, and inflammation during sepsis. in this study, we evaluated the contribution of bk in porcine sepsis by blocking bk and by measuring the stable bk metabolite, bk1-5, using anesthetized pigs. the effect of bk alone, the efficacy of icatibant to block this effect, and the recovery of bk measured as plasma bk1-5 were first investigated. purified bk injected intravenously induced an abrupt fall in blood pressure, which was complet ...201121921836
neisseria-avoiding the jump to conclusions.neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in a prepubertal child is virtually diagnostic of sexual abuse, provided perinatal infection has been excluded. therefore, it is imperative that neisseria gonorrhoeae be correctly identified. we present two cases of false positive neisseria gonorrhoeae meningitis encountered at two different children's hospitals. both cases were evaluated by the child protection teams prior to establishing the correct diagnosis.201122126106
variations of oral microbiota are associated with pancreatic diseases including pancreatic cancer.objectivethe associations between oral diseases and increased risk of pancreatic cancer have been reported in several prospective cohort studies. in this study, we measured variations of salivary microbiota and evaluated their potential associations with pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis.methodsthis study was divided into three phases: (1) microbial profiling using the human oral microbe identification microarray to investigate salivary microbiota variation between 10 resectable patient ...201121994333
immunogenicity and safety of a haemophilus influenzae b (hib)-hepatitis b vaccine with a modified process hepatitis b component administered with concomitant pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to infants.a hepatitis b vaccine was manufactured with a modified process (mphbv) that incorporated double the usual amount of phosphate. following a study in young adults, the mphbv was evaluated in infants in a combination hepatitis b and haemophilus influenzae b vaccine (mphbv-hib).201121875633
a clonal group of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae with two iga proteases is adapted to infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.strains of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae show enormous genetic heterogeneity and display differential virulence potential in different clinical settings. the igab gene, which encodes a newly identified iga protease, is more likely to be present in the genome of copd strains of h. influenzae than in otitis media strains. analysis of igab and surrounding sequences in the present study showed that h. influenzae likely acquired igab from neisseria meningitidis and that the acquisition was accom ...201121998721
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