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endometrial epithelial cell responses to coinfecting viral and bacterial pathogens in the genital tract can activate the hiv-1 ltr in an nf{kappa}b-and ap-1-dependent manner.sexually transmitted infections (stis) are associated with increased human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1) susceptibility and viral shedding in the genital tract, but the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood.201121673042
persistence of serum bactericidal antibody one year after a booster dose of either a glycoconjugate or a plain polysaccharide vaccine against serogroup c neisseria meningitidis given to adolescents previously immunized with a glycoconjugate vaccine.background:: bactericidal antibody induced by immunization of infants with serogroup c neisseria meningitidis (menc) vaccines wanes rapidly during childhood. adolescents are at particular risk from meningococcal disease, therefore they might benefit from a booster dose of vaccine. the duration of serologic response to such a booster in adolescents is unknown. methods:: in a previous study, english schoolchildren, aged 9 to 12 years, who had received a monovalent menc glycoconjugate vaccine in 19 ...201121673612
differences in toll-like receptor expression and cytokine production after stimulation with heat-killed gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.innate immune surveillance in the blood is executed mostly by circulating monocytes, which recognise conserved bacterial molecules such as peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide. toll-like receptors (tlr) play a central role in microbe-associated molecular pattern detection. here, we compared the differences in tlr expression and cytokine production after stimulation of peripheral blood cells with heat-killed gram-negative and gram-positive human pathogens neisseria meningitidis, escherichia coli, ...201121674265
evaluation of six commercial nucleic acid amplification tests for the detection of neisseria gonorrhoeae and other neisseria species.molecular detection of neisseria gonorrhoeae in extragenital samples may result in false positive results due to cross reaction with commensal neisseria species or neisseria meningitidis. this study examined 450 characterised clinical culture isolates, comprising 216 n. gonorrhoeae and 234 neisseria species (n=218) and other closely related bacteria (n=16), with six commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (naats) including gen-probe aptima combo 2 and aptima gc; roche cobas amplicor ct/ng an ...201121813721
focusing homologous recombination: pilin antigenic variation in the pathogenic neisseria.some pathogenic microbes utilize homologous recombination to generate antigenic variability in targets of immune surveillance. these specialized systems rely on the cellular recombination machinery to catalyse dedicated, high-frequency reactions that provide extensive diversity in the genes encoding surface antigens. a description of the specific mechanisms that allow unusually high rates of recombination without deleterious effects on the genome in the well-characterized pilin antigenic variati ...201121812841
experimental meningococcal sepsis in congenic transgenic mice expressing human transferrin.severe meningococcal sepsis is still of high morbidity and mortality. its management may be improved by an experimental model allowing better understanding of its pathophysiology. we developed an animal model of meningococcal sepsis in transgenic balb/c mice expressing human transferrin. we studied experimental meningococcal sepsis in congenic transgenic balb/c mice expressing human transferrin by transcriptional profiling using microarray analysis of blood and brain samples. genes encoding acut ...201121811575
my battle against gonorrhea. 201121810714
haemophilus influenzae type b-neisseria meningitidis serogroups c and y tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine for infants and toddlers.the highest rates of invasive meningococcal disease occur in children under 2 years of age, yet as of early 2011 no vaccine was licensed for the youngest infants. however, a novel vaccine consisting of capsular polysaccharides from haemophilus influenzae type b (hib) and neisseria meningitidis serogroups c and y conjugated to tetanus toxoid (hibmency-tt; menhibrix™, glaxosmithkline) is in the late stages of development. in clinical trials involving more than 7800 children, hibmency-tt was shown ...201121806393
human antibody and memory b and t-cell responses after primary and booster immunisation against neisseria meningitidis b.vaccination against disease aims at the induction of long-lasting cellular and humoral immune responses. few studies have addressed the mechanisms by which meningococcal vaccines generate and sustain immunological memory. the goal of this study was to investigate the development of long-term humoral and cellular memory to neisseria meningitidis serogroup b (menb) in health subjects after immunisation with the cuban outer membrane protein (omp) vaccine (va-mengoc-bc(®)). the results showed that t ...201121803107
testing the vaccine potential of pilv, pilx and comp, minor subunits of neisseria meningitidis type iv pili.because meningitis and septicaemia caused by neisseria meningitidis are major public health problems worldwide, the design of a broadly protective vaccine remains a priority. type iv pili (tfp) are surface-exposed filaments playing a key role in pathogenesis in a variety of bacterial species, including n. meningitidis, that have demonstrated vaccine potential. unfortunately, in the meningococcus, the major pilus subunit pile usually undergoes extensive antigenic variation and is therefore not su ...201121803096
antimicrobial susceptibility of neisseria gonorrhoeae in pune from 1996 to 2007. 201121799581
bacterial genomic detection within cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningococcal disease is influenced by microbial and host characteristics.among 384 patients with confirmed meningococcal disease, the likelihood of detecting neisseria meningitidis dna in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) increased with age, serogroup b infection, and prehospitalization antibiotic treatment. plasma and csf genomic bacterial loads of non-b n. meningitidis serogroups correlated significantly. serogroup b-infected patients with genotype tnf2 (-308a) had significantly higher csf bacterial loads.201121798855
evaluation of a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay stdfinder for the simultaneous detection of 7 sexually transmitted disease pathogens.we evaluated a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mpcr), "stdfinder assay", a novel multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (mlpa) assay for the simultaneous detection of 7 clinically relevant pathogens of stds, i.e., neisseria gonorrhoeae, chlamydia trachomatis, trichomonas vaginalis, mycoplasma genitalium, treponema pallidum, and herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (hsv-1 and hsv-2). an internal amplification control was included in the mpcr reaction. the limits of detection for t ...201121798683
sexually transmitted infections in pregnant adolescents: prevalence and association with maternal and foetal morbidity.background pregnant adolescents have a high incidence of sexually transmitted infections and higher risk of adverse birth outcome. objectives to assess the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in pregnant adolescents and the associations between these infections and adverse birth outcome. methods  a prospective study with a face-to-face interview to pregnant adolescents was followed by first-void urine and cervical swabs collection for polymerase chain reaction testing for chlamydia t ...201121797933
from pertussis to meningococcal disease and back.from pertussis to meningococcal disease and back represents nearly 30 years of research at porton, first at the centre for applied microbiology and research and latterly as part of the health protection agency. i joined the group lead by andy robinson developing an acellular pertussis vaccine and was part of an exciting period that encompassed basic antigen characterisation and pathogenesis studies with the development of an acellular vaccine containing fimbriae. research then changed to focus o ...201121795847
regulating iron storage and metabolism with rna: an overview of posttranscriptional controls of intracellular iron homeostasis.iron (fe) is a double-edged sword for most living organisms. although it is essential for the catalytic activity of a large number of enzymes, ferrous iron (fe(2+) ) becomes cytotoxic in the presence of normal respiratory by-products such as h(2) o(2) . because of this toxicity, intracellular iron concentrations ought to be regulated by elaborated homeostasis systems that, despite decades of extensive studies, have not yet revealed all of their surprising arrays of mechanistic details. within th ...201121793218
sexually transmitted infections and sexual practices among injecting drug users in harm reduction centers in catalonia.background: the objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae and sexual risk practices, and to identify factors associated with infection by c. trachomatis/n. gonorrhoeae. methods: injecting drug users were interviewed at harm reduction centers and biological samples were collected to estimate the prevalence of c. trachomatis and n. gonorrhoeae. results: the prevalence of c. trachomatis was 2.3%, and this was higher among immigrants ( ...201121791924
evaluation of sexual history-based screening of anatomic sites for chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in men having sex with men in routine practice.abstract: background: sexually transmitted disease (std) screening programmes are implemented in many countries to decrease burden of std and to improve sexual health. screening for chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae has a prominent role in these protocols. most of the screening programmes concerning men having sex with men (msm) are based on opportunistic urethral testing. in the netherlands, a history-based approach is used. the aim of this study is to evaluate the protocol of scr ...201121791061
effect of mesoporous silica under neisseria meningitidis transformation process: environmental effects under meningococci transformation.abstract: background: this study aimed the use of mesoporous silica under the naturally transformable neisseria meningitidis, an important pathogen implicated in the genetic horizontal transfer of dna causing a escape of the principal vaccination measures worldwide by the capsular switching process. this study verified the effects of mesoporous silica under n. meningitidis transformation specifically under the capsular replacement. methods: we used three different mesoporous silica particles to ...201121787408
comment on "a sulfonium cation intermediate in the mechanism of methionine sulfoxide reductase b: a dft study"recently, gauld and coworkers convincingly showed that the mechanism of methionine sulfoxide reductase b (msrb) passes through a sulfonium cation similarly to that shown for msra. in their dft study, three chemical models of the msrb were considered in order to provide insights into the role of various residues in the chemistry and substrate specificity. for most of them, their role had already been demonstrated by site-directed mutagenesis associated with kinetic studies. the small model presen ...201121786749
next-generation outer membrane vesicle vaccines against neisseria meningitidis based on nontoxic lps mutants.outer membrane vesicles (omvs) have been used extensively as experimental vaccines against neisseria meningitidis. classical meningococcal omv vaccines contain wildtype lipopolysaccharide (lps) with a hexa-acylated lipid a moiety, which is a very potent activator of the tlr4 receptor. while this may make the lps an effective "internal" adjuvant, it also contributes to vaccine reactogenicity. reduction of endotoxic activity has therefore been essential for the application of meningococcal omv vac ...201121785281
quorum sensing contributes to natural transformation of vibrio cholerae in a species-specific manner.although it is a human pathogen, vibrio cholerae is a regular member of aquatic habitats, such as coastal regions and estuaries. within these environments, v. cholerae often takes advantage of the abundance of zooplankton and their chitinous molts as a nutritious surface on which the bacteria can form biofilms. chitin also induces the developmental program of natural competence for transformation in several species of the genus vibrio. in this study, we show that v. cholerae does not distinguish ...201121784943
the soluble, periplasmic domain of ompa folds as an independent unit and displays chaperone activity by reducing the self-association propensity of the unfolded ompa transmembrane ß-barrel.ompa is one of only a few transmembrane proteins whose folding and stability have been investigated in detail. however, only half of the ompa mass encodes its transmembrane ß-barrel; the remaining sequence is a soluble domain that is localized to the periplasmic side of the outer membrane. to understand how the ompa periplasmic domain contributes to the stability and folding of the full-length ompa protein, we cloned, expressed, purified and studied the ompa periplasmic domain independently of t ...201121782315
bacterial carbonic anhydrases as drug targets: toward novel antibiotics?carbonic anhydrases (cas, ec 4.2.1.1) are metalloenzymes which catalyze the hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and protons. many pathogenic bacteria encode such enzymes belonging to the a-, ß-, and/or ?-ca families. in the last decade, the a-cas from neisseria spp. and helicobacter pylori as well as the ß-class enzymes from escherichia coli, h. pylori,mycobacterium tuberculosis, brucella spp., streptococcus pneumoniae, salmonella enterica, and haemophilus influenzae have been cloned and ...201121779249
endometrial leukocyte subpopulations associated with chlamydia trachomatis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, and trichomonas vaginalis genital tract infection.objective: the objective of the study was to characterize endometrial inflammation associated with common genital tract pathogens. study design: the design of the study was the immunohistochemical characterization of the endometrial leukocyte subpopulations from 37 controls and 45 women infected with chlamydia trachomatis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, or trichomonas vaginalis. results: compared with uninfected women, endocervical infection with c trachomatis, n gonorrhoeae, or t vaginalis was associat ...201121777898
glutamate utilization promotes meningococcal survival in vivo through avoidance of the neutrophil oxidative burst.polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes (pmns) are a critical part of innate immune defence against bacterial pathogens, and only a limited subset of microbes can escape killing by these phagocytic cells. here we show that neisseria meningitidis, a leading cause of septicaemia and meningitis, can avoid killing by pmns and this is dependent on the ability of the bacterium to acquire l-glutamate through its gltt uptake system. we demonstrate that the uptake of available l-glutamate promotes n. men ...201121777301
waterhouse-friderichsen syndrome in an adult patient with meningococcal meningitis.waterhouse-friderichsen syndrome is one of the fatal complications of meningococcal infection. here we report a fatal case of this syndrome due to neisseria meningitidis in a 29-year-old male patient who was admitted with high-grade fever and chills and vomiting since 7 days, a skin rash over the abdomen and trunk, and altered sensorium since 2 days. on examination, the signs of meningitis were present along with the hemorrhagic rash. the diagnosis of adrenal hemorrhage was confirmed by computer ...201121772601
importance of antibodies to lipopolysaccharide in natural and vaccine-induced serum bactericidal activity against neisseria meningitidis group b.analysis of the specificity of bactericidal antibodies in normal, convalescent and post-vaccination human sera is important in understanding human immunity to meningococcal infections and can aid in the design of an effective group b vaccine. a collection of human sera including group c and group b convalescent sera, normal sera with naturally occurring cross reactive bactericidal activity, and some post vaccination sera were analyzed to determine the specificity of cross reactive bactericidal a ...201121768280
real-time pcr for detection of streptococcus suis serotype 2 in cerebrospinal fluid of human patients with meningitis.streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an emerging zoonotic pathogen and is the main cause of acute bacterial meningitis in adult patients in vietnam. we developed an internally controlled real-time pcr for detection of s. suis serotype 2 in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) samples targeted at the cps2j gene. sensitivity and specificity in culture-confirmed clinical samples were 100%. the pcr detected s. suis serotype 2 infection in 101 of 238 (42.4%) prospectively collected csf samples, of which 55 (23%) we ...201121767702
a two-site analytical evaluation of the bd viper system with xtr technology in nonextracted mode and extracted mode with seeded simulated specimens.the bd probetec ct q(x) amplified dna assay and the bd probetec gc q(x) amplified dna assay (both bd diagnostics, sparks, md) represent two new assays developed for use with the bd viper system with xtr technology (bd diagnostics). these assays were built on the foundation of the former bd probetec et assays (bd diagnostics) and its accompanying instrumentation. the study described below compared the new assay format, extracted mode, to the former assay format, nonextracted mode, with the primar ...201121764022
prevalence of trichomonas vaginalis infection in symptomatic adolescent females presenting to a pediatric emergency department.academic emergency medicine 2011; 18:763-766 © 2011 by the society for academic emergency medicine abstract: objectives: adolescent females are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (stis). although trichomonas vaginalis (tv) has been declared the most common nonviral sti, tv testing is not routinely conducted in the emergency department (ed), and when it is performed, insensitive testing methods are often used. therefore, this study sought to determine the prevalence o ...201121762238
[the beginning of the end for the african meningitis belt?]. 201121755648
rational design of a meningococcal antigen inducing broad protective immunity.the sequence variability of protective antigens is a major challenge to the development of vaccines. for neisseria meningitidis, the bacterial pathogen that causes meningitis, the amino acid sequence of the protective antigen factor h binding protein (fhbp) has more than 300 variations. these sequence differences can be classified into three distinct groups of antigenic variants that do not induce cross-protective immunity. our goal was to generate a single antigen that would induce immunity aga ...201121753121
vaccine design reaches the atomic level.the genetic diversity of pathogens presents a challenge to the development of broadly effective vaccines. in this issue, scarselli et al. combine atomic-level structural information with genomics and classical vaccinology to design a single immunogen that elicits protective immunity against more than 300 natural variants of the bacterial pathogen meningococcus b. this accomplishment provides a glimpse of the power of structure-based vaccine design to create immunogens capable of eliciting protec ...201121753119
meningococcal group c and w135 immunological hyporesponsiveness in african toddlers.a phase ii clinical study was conducted in african toddlers (aged 12-23 months) with subjects receiving either, investigational meningococcal group a conjugate (psa-tt), meningococcal acwy polysaccharide (psacwy) or hib-tt vaccine. ten months following vaccination, the 3 study groups were further randomized to receive either a dose of psa-tt, 1/5(th) psacwy or hib-tt vaccine. group a sba results have been reported previously with the psa-tt demonstrating superior immunogenicity vs. psacwy vaccin ...201121752951
antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance and molecular epidemiological characteristics of neisseria gonorrhoeae in 2009 in belarus.glazkova s, golparian d, titov l, pankratova n, suhabokava n, shimanskaya i, domeika m, unemo m. antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance and molecular epidemiological characteristics of neisseria gonorrhoeae in 2009 in belarus. apmis 2011; 119: 537-42. increased antimicrobial resistance (amr) in neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global concern, and ultimately gonorrhoea may become untreatable. nonetheless, amr data from east-europe are scarce beyond russia, and no amr data or other characteristics of g ...201121749454
nafa negatively controls neisseria meningitidis piliation.bacterial auto-aggregation is a critical step during adhesion of n. meningitidis to host cells. the precise mechanisms and functions of bacterial auto-aggregation still remain to be fully elucidated. in this work, we characterize the role of a meningococcal hypothetical protein, nmb0995/nmc0982, and show that this protein, here denoted nafa, acts as an anti-aggregation factor. nafa was confirmed to be surface exposed and was found to be induced at a late stage of bacterial adherence to epithelia ...201121747953
tonb-dependent transporters expressed by neisseria gonorrhoeae.neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the common sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhea. this microorganism is an obligate human pathogen, existing nowhere in nature except in association with humans. for growth and proliferation, n. gonorrhoeae requires iron and must acquire this nutrient from within its host. the gonococcus is well-adapted for growth in diverse niches within the human body because it expresses efficient transport systems enabling use of a diverse array of iron sources. iron transpor ...201121747812
estradiol-treated female mice as surrogate hosts for neisseria gonorrhoeae genital tract infections.historically, animal modeling of gonorrhea has been hampered by the exclusive adaptation of neisseria gonorrhoeae to humans. genital tract infection can be established in female mice that are treated with 17ß-estradiol, however, and many features of experimental murine infection mimic human infection. here we review the colonization kinetics and host response to experimental murine gonococcal infection, including mouse strain differences and evidence that il-17 responses, toll-like receptor 4, a ...201121747807
the pathobiology of neisseria gonorrhoeae lower female genital tract infection.infection and disease associated with neisseria gonorrhoeae, the gonococcus, continue to be a global health problem. asymptomatic and subclinical gonococcal infections occur at a high frequency in females; thus, the true incidence of n. gonorrhoeae infections are presumed to be severely underestimated. inherent to this asymptomatic/subclinical diseased state is the continued prevalence of this organism within the general population, as well as the medical, economic, and social burden equated wit ...201121747805
resistance of neisseria gonorrhoeae to neutrophils.infection with the human-specific bacterial pathogen neisseria gonorrhoeae triggers a potent, local inflammatory response driven by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils or pmns). pmns are terminally differentiated phagocytic cells that are a vital component of the host innate immune response and are the first responders to bacterial and fungal infections. pmns possess a diverse arsenal of components to combat microorganisms, including the production of reactive oxygen species and release of ...201121747795
lipooligosaccharide structure is an important determinant in the resistance of neisseria gonorrhoeae to antimicrobial agents of innate host defense.the strict human pathogen neisseria gonorrhoeae has caused the sexually transmitted infection termed gonorrhea for thousands of years. over the millennia, the gonococcus has likely evolved mechanisms to evade host defense systems that operate on the genital mucosal surfaces in both males and females. past research has shown that the presence or modification of certain cell envelope structures can significantly impact levels of gonococcal susceptibility to host-derived antimicrobial compounds tha ...201121747781
combined haemophilus influenzae type b-neisseria meningitidis serogroup c vaccine is immunogenic and well tolerated in preterm infants when coadministered with other routinely recommended vaccines.background:: preterm infants are at greater risk of morbidity from vaccine-preventable diseases. therefore, their responses to vaccination are of particular interest. methods:: in this open, controlled, spanish multicenter study, we assessed immunogenicity and safety following primary vaccination of 163 preterm infants (n = 56, <31 weeks' gestation; n = 107, 31-36 weeks' gestation) and 150 full-term infants (>36 weeks' gestation), with haemophilus influenzae type b (hib)-menc-tt, dtap(diphtheria ...201121747321
increased gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing did not increase case detection in an hiv clinical cohort 1999-2007.objectives since 2003, us organisations have recommended universal screening, rather than targeted screening, of hiv-infected persons for gonorrhoea and chlamydia. the objective of this study was to determine whether wider testing resulting from these guidelines would produce an increase in gonorrhoea/chlamydia diagnoses. methods 3283 patients receiving hiv care in 1999-2007 in the johns hopkins hospital hiv clinic were studied. the two primary outcomes were the occurrence of any gonorrhoea/chla ...201121745834
neisseria wadsworthii sp. nov. and neisseria shayeganii sp. nov., isolated from clinical specimens.an analysis of 16s rrna gene sequences from archived clinical reference specimens has identified two novel neisseria species. for each species, two strains from independent sources were identified. amongst species with validly published names, the closest species to the newly identified organisms were neisseria canis, n. dentiae, n. zoodegmatis, n. animaloris and n. weaveri. dna-dna hybridization studies demonstrated that the newly identified isolates represent species that are distinct from the ...201120173010
a two-stage strategy for sterilization of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) particles by γ-irradiation does not impair their potency for vaccine delivery.this study evaluated the feasibility of using γ-irradiation for preparing sterile poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (plg) formulations for vaccines. plg microparticles were prepared by water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion technique and lyophilized. the vials were γ-irradiated for sterilization process. antigens from neisseria meningitidis were adsorbed onto the surface of the particles and were characterized for protein adsorption. antigens adsorbed onto the surface of the irradiated particles within ...201120665902
characterizing the native codon usages of a genome: an axis projection approach.codon usage can provide insights into the nature of the genes in a genome. genes that are "native" to a genome (have not been recently acquired by horizontal transfer) range in codon usage from a low-bias "typical" usage to a more biased "high-expression" usage characteristic of genes encoding abundant proteins. genes that differ from these native codon usages are candidates for foreign genes that have been recently acquired by horizontal gene transfer. in this study, we present a method for cha ...201120679093
identification and characterization of phage-displayed peptide mimetics of neisseria meningitidis serogroup b capsular polysaccharide.neisseria meningitidis causes meningitis and septicemia. there is no single vaccine against all serogroup b meningococcal (menb) strains up to now. their capsular polysaccharide (menb cps) bears epitopes both cross-reacting and non-cross-reactive with human polysialic acid. a bactericidal and protective antibody mab (13d9) recognizing a unique epitope in menb cps was used to screen a phage-displayed peptide library. four peptides, able to bind mab 13d9 in competition with menb cps, were identifi ...201120708963
nmr resonance assignments of nare, a putative adp-ribosylating toxin from neisseria meningitidis.nare is a 16 kda protein identified from neisseria meningitidis, one of the bacterial pathogens responsible for meningitis. nare belongs to the adp-ribosyltransferase family and catalyses the transfer of adp-ribose moieties to arginine residues in target protein acceptors. many pathogenic bacteria utilize adp-ribosylating toxins to modify and alter essential functions of eukaryotic cells. nare was proposed to bind iron through a fe-s center which is supposed to be implied in catalysis. we have p ...201120737254
identification of prolyliminopeptidase-negative neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in canada.neisseria gonorrhoeae strains that fail to produce the enzyme prolyliminopeptidase have been identified in canada. commercial test panels use prolyliminopeptidase activity for identification and to avoid the misdiagnosis of gonorrhea, at least 2 distinct methods for the confirmatory identification of n. gonorrhoeae is imperative.201120661175
pora vr3 typing database: a web-based resource for the determination of pora vr3 alleles of neisseria meningitidis.the variable regions (vr) of the surface-exposed pora protein of meningococci are used for subtyping and are considered the most abundant epitopes of outer membrane vesicle-based vaccine preparations. we have developed both a database that maintains all the known vr3 alleles and a web-based application for the rapid identification and submission of new vr3 variants based on sequence comparison.201120801234
the relationship between the symptoms of female gonococcal infections and serum progesterone level and the genotypes of neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence type (ng-mast) in wuhan, china.the objective of this investigation was to study the relationship between the symptoms of female gonococcal infections and serum progesterone level and the genotypes of neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence type (ng-mast) in wuhan, china. eighty-one strains of n. gonorrhoeae were harvested from the vaginal discharge of 975 adult females in wuhan and were genotyped by using ng-mast. serum progesterone (p) and estradiol (e(2)) levels were measured by radio immunoassay (ria) in 39 gonorrhea- ...201120820835
[clones of neisseria meningitidis strains in mali].the purpose of our study was to identify strains of neisseria meningitidis isolated from 2005 to 2007 in mali.201120800397
[acquired bacterial meningitis in monastir region, tunisia (1999-2006): bacteriological aspects and susceptibility patterns].the aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of bacteria responsible for purulent meningitis and the pattern of resistance of common species in the university hospital of monastir (tunisia). all bacteriologically confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis were recorded between 1999 and 2006, and have been analyzed by classic bacterial methods advocate for meningitis. two hundred fifty three strains have been isolated. the most frequent species were streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus inf ...201120835902
augmented survival of neisseria gonorrhoeae within biofilms: exposure to atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasmas.bacteria embedded within biofilms present a challenge to surface decontamination by conventional means. atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma processes have emerged as a promising approach to overcoming this problem. we used atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas (apnps) to assess planktonic versus biofilm-resident bacterial (neisseria gonorrhoeae) susceptibility to treatment. the decontamination efficiency of the process was evaluated against bacteria embedded within a biofilm, as well ...201120839022
co-occurrence of trichomonas vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis among hiv-positive women.trichomonas vaginalis (tv) and bacterial vaginosis (bv) were examined among human immunodeficiency virus+ women. the prevalence rates were 28.0% for tv, 51.4% for bv, and 17.5% for tv/bv co-infection. among human immunodeficiency virus+/tv+ women, the rate of bv was 61.0%. research is needed to examine how bv affects the clinical course and treatment of t. vaginalis.201120842073
persistence of immunity following a booster dose of haemophilus influenzae type b-meningococcal serogroup c glycoconjugate vaccine: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.antibodies against haemophilus influenzae type b (hib) and serogroup c neisseria meningitidis (menc) wane after early infant immunization.201120844459
mycotic aortic aneurysm: a case of an unlikely location and an unlikely pathogen.this is an unusual case of a mycotic aortic aneurysm located in the ascending aorta caused by neisseria meningitidis. the diagnosis was made using two-dimensional (2d) and three-dimensional (3d) transoesophageal echocardiogram (toe) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (cmr). management was with prolonged antibiotics followed by surgical resection. the ascending aorta was replaced with dacron tube graft. the contribution of multimodality imaging in clearly defining the pathology, its location a ...201120851680
determinants of eukaryal cell killing by the bacterial ribotoxin prrc.trna damage inflicted by the escherichia coli anticodon nuclease prrc (ecoprrc) underlies an antiviral response to phage t4 infection. prrc homologs are present in many bacterial proteomes, though their biological activities are uncharted. prrcs consist of two domains: an n-terminal ntpase module related to the abc family and a distinctive c-terminal ribonuclease module. in this article, we report that the expression of ecoprrc in budding yeast is fungicidal, signifying that prrc is toxic in a e ...201120855293
meningococcal disease and future drug targets.neisseria meningitidis (n. meningitidis) causes sepsis, epidemic meningitis, and sometimes also meningoencephalitis. despite early antibiotic treatment, mortality and morbidity remain significant. we present recent studies on meningococcal disease with focus on the pathophysiology caused by bacterial virulence factors and the host immune responses. the bacterial outer membrane lipopolysaccharide and non-lipopolysaccharide components are related to meningococcal adhesion and invasion, while the h ...201120874698
antimicrobial activity of flavonoids from piper lanceaefolium and other colombian medicinal plants against antibiotic susceptible and resistant strains of neisseria gonorrhoeae.the successful treatment of neisseria gonorrhoeae (ng) infections is increasingly problematic because of the resistance of this pathogen to multiple antimicrobial agents. this development underscores the need for new antimicrobial sources. in the current study, 21 crude methanol extracts, from 19 plants used in colombian traditional medicine for cutaneous infections, were screened for antimicrobial activity against ng.201120921932
prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae and repeat infection among pregnant urban adolescents.negative maternal and fetal consequences associated with chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae during pregnancy make diagnosis essential. the centers for disease control and prevention recommend routine screening for sexually transmitted infections at the first prenatal visit, and third trimester repeat screening, specifically for c. trachomatis, is recommended for women under age 25 or at increased infection risk. the effect of repeat screening on diagnosis during pregnancy is not wel ...201120938375
immunogenicity and safety of an investigational combined haemophilus influenzae type b-neisseria meningitidis serogroups c and y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine.neisseria meningitidis serogroups b, c, and y cause most meningococcal disease in industrialized countries. a haemophilus influenzae type b-meningococcal serogroups c and y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (hibmency-tt) was evaluated.201120948453
peroxide stress elicits adaptive changes in bacterial metal ion homeostasis.exposure to hydrogen peroxide (h(2)o(2)) and other reactive oxygen species is a universal feature of life in an aerobic environment. bacteria express enzymes to detoxify h(2)o(2) and to repair the resulting damage, and their synthesis is typically regulated by redox-sensing transcription factors. the best characterized bacterial peroxide-sensors are escherichia coli oxyr and bacillus subtilis perr. analysis of their regulons has revealed that, in addition to inducible detoxification enzymes, ada ...201120977351
chronic vaccination with a therapeutic egf-based cancer vaccine: a review of patients receiving long lasting treatment.therapeutic vaccines continue to be one of the most active fields in cancer research. however, despite clear evidence of antitumor effect in laboratory animals, and despite the ability of current vaccine candidates to elicit tumor specific antibodies and t-cells in humans, objective responses in the clinical trials are rare. the role of therapeutic vaccines in advanced cancer patients, if any, would be to decrease the rate of disease progression and to increase survival and quality of life. due ...201121062240
immediate and longer term immunogenicity of a single dose of the combined haemophilus influenzae type b-neisseria meningitidis serogroup c-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine in primed toddlers 12 to 18 months of age.hib-primed but menc-naive toddlers (n = 433) were randomized to receive 1 dose of hib-menc-tt or separate hib-tt and menc-crm197 vaccines. one month later, noninferiority was demonstrated for serum bactericidal anti-menc antibodies (rsba) and hib antipolyribosylribitol phosphate (prp) antibodies; >99% in both groups had rsba titer ≥ 8 or anti-prp concentration ≥ 0.15 μg/ml. after 12 months, rsba titer ≥ 8 persisted in 86.7% and 76.4%, and anti-prp concentration ≥ 0.15 μg/ml persisted in 98.8% an ...201121068692
young women engaged in sex work in phnom penh, cambodia, have high incidence of hiv and sexually transmitted infections, and amphetamine-type stimulant use: new challenges to hiv prevention and risk.to estimate prevalence and incidence of hiv and sexually transmitted infections (sti) and associated risk factors among young women working as sex workers (sws) in phnom penh, cambodia.201121085056
proteomic characterization and functional analysis of outer membrane vesicles of francisella novicida suggests possible role in virulence and use as a vaccine.we have isolated and characterized outer membrane vesicles (omvs) from francisella. transport of effector molecules through secretion systems is a major mechanism by which francisella tularensis alters the extracellular proteome and interacts with the host during infection. outer membrane vesicles produced by francisella were examined using tem and afm and found to be 43-125 nm in size, representing another potential mechanism for altering the extracellular environment. a proteomic analysis (lc- ...201121138299
nasopharyngeal colonization by neisseria lactamica and induction of protective immunity against neisseria meningitidis.natural immunity to neisseria meningitidis may result from nasopharyngeal carriage of closely related commensals, such as neisseria lactamica.201121148522
neisseria lactamica attenuates tlr-1/2-induced cytokine responses in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells using ppar-γ.the upper respiratory tract commensal neisseria lactamica (nlac) induces protective humoral immunity against pathogenic nmen serogroup b (nmen), but whether it also affords anti-inflammatory mucosal protection, as reported for several gut commensals, has not been investigated. here we demonstrate for the first time that nlac weakly induces inflammatory responses compared with nmen in the nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line, detroit 562, and that nlac achieves this by attenuation of secretory cyt ...201121105983
a 'clap' for in silico studies. 201121164533
recommendations and rationale for the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease.pelvic inflammatory disease (pid) is one of the most common serious infections of nonpregnant women of reproductive age. management of pid is directed at containment of infection. goals of therapy include the resolution of clinical symptoms and signs, the eradication of pathogens from the genital tract and the prevention of sequelae including infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain. the choice of an antibiotic regimen used to treat pid relies upon the appreciation of the polymicro ...201121171878
meningococcal glycoconjugate vaccines.neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of invasive bacterial infections worldwide. for this reason, efforts to control the disease have been directed at optimizing meningococcal vaccines and implementing appropriate vaccination policies. in the past, plain polysaccharide vaccines containing purified capsular polysaccharides a, c, y and w135 were developed, but failed to protect infants, who are at greatest risk. experience with the conjugate haemophilus vaccine suggested that this approach migh ...201121178398
a vaccine against meningitis in africa. 201121183138
chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae transmission from the female oropharynx to the male urethra.in a sexually transmitted disease clinic-based sample of men who have sex with women, positivity for urethral chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae was 3.5% and 3.1%, respectively, among patients whose only urethral exposure in the previous 3 months was receiving fellatio from a woman. urethral infections acquired by fellatio might contribute to ongoing disease spread.201021183864
(1)h, (13)c and (15)n assignment of the gna1946 outer membrane lipoprotein from neisseria meningitidis.gna1946 (genome-derived neisseria antigen 1946) is a highly conserved exposed outer membrane lipoprotein from neisseria meningitidis bacteria of 287 amino acid length (31 kda). although the structure of nmb1946 has been solved recently by x-ray crystallography, understanding the behaviour of gna1946 in aqueuos solution is highly relevant for the discovery of the antigenic determinants of the protein that will possibly lead to a more efficient vaccine development against virulent serogroup b stra ...201021188561
chitosan-iron oxide nano-composite platform for mismatch-discriminating dna hybridization for neisseria gonorrhoeae detection causing sexually transmitted disease.electrochemically fabricated nano-composite film of chitosan (ch)-iron oxide (fe(3)o(4)) has been used to detect gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted disease (std) via immobilization of biotinylated probe dna (bdna) using avidin-biotin coupling for rapid and specific (mismatch-discriminating) dna hybridization. the presence of fe(3)o(4) nanoparticles (∼18nm) increases the electro-active surface area of the nano-biocomposite that provides desirable environment for loading of dna with better conform ...201021190837
neisseria meningitidis capsular polysaccharides induce inflammatory responses via tlr2 and tlr4-md-2.cps are major virulence factors in infections caused by neisseria meningitidis and form the basis for meningococcal serogroup designation and protective meningococcal vaccines. cps polymers are anchored in the meningococcal outer membrane through a 1,2-diacylglycerol moiety, but the innate immunostimulatory activity of cps is largely unexplored. well-established human and murine macrophage cell lines and hek/tlr stably transfected cells were stimulated with cps, purified from an endotoxin-defici ...201021191086
[pelvic inflammatory disease: contemporary diagnostic and therapeutic approach].pelvic inflammatory disease (pid) is polymicrobial infection in women characterized by inflammation of the upper genital tract, including endometritis, salpingitis, pelvic peritonitis, occasionally leading to the formation of tubo-ovarian abscess (toa). pid primarily affects young, sexually active women, and it is highly correlated with having several sexual partners, intrauterine contraceptive device and sexually transmitted diseases. the spectrum of disease is caused most commonly by chlamydia ...201021180100
an evaluation of gentamicin susceptibility of neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in europe.the emergence of decreased susceptibility to third-generation, extended-spectrum cephalosporins in neisseria gonorrhoeae and associated treatment failures highlights the need to consider alternatives for future therapeutic use, such as gentamicin.201021172790
immunogenicity and safety of a multicomponent meningococcal serogroup b vaccine and a quadrivalent meningococcal crm197 conjugate vaccine against serogroups a, c, w-135, and y in adults who are at increased risk for occupational exposure to meningococcal isolates.laboratory staff who work with meningococcal isolates are at increased risk for developing invasive disease relative to the general population. this was the first study of laboratory workers who received both a conjugate vaccine against meningococcal serogroups a, c, w-135, and y (men acwy-crm, menveo) and an investigational multicomponent vaccine against serogroup b containing factor h binding protein, neisserial adhesin a, neisseria heparin binding antigen, and new zealand strain outer membran ...201021177912
fulminant neisseria meningitidis: role for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.invasive meningococcal disease is often associated with complications of septic shock and central nervous system dysfunction. extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is more commonly being used for respiratory failure and sepsis, but neurologic injury and potential coagulopathy are often considered relative contraindications. we report a successful case of complicated neisseria meningitidis septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy requiring extracorporeal support.201021169146
molecular detection and confirmation of neisseria gonorrhoeae in urogenital and extragenital specimens using the abbott ct/ng realtime assay and an in-house assay targeting the pora pseudogene.culture for detection of neisseria gonorrhoeae (ng) is being replaced by molecular assays, but difficulties are observed with false positive and negatives results, especially for extragenital samples. this study evaluates the abbott ct/ng real-time assay and a real-time pora pseudogene assay. samples (n = 600) from a mixed prevalence irish population include 164 male urines with corresponding urethral swabs, 58 endocervical swabs, 173 male pharyngeal swabs, 205 male rectal swabs, 36 ng clinical ...201021170565
predominant porb1a and porb1b genotypes and correlation of gene mutations with drug resistance in neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in eastern china.variations of porb1a and porb1b genes and their serotypes exist in neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from different geographical areas, and some site mutations in the porb1b gene correlate with drug resistance.201021067570
invasive meningococcal disease caused by neisseria meningitidis strains expressing both serogroup y and w-135 antigenic specificities. 201021068280
pathogen-host interactions in dictyostelium, legionella, mycobacterium and other pathogens.dictyostelium discoideum is a haploid social soil amoeba that is an established host model for several human pathogens. the research areas presently pursued include the use of d. discoideum to identify genetic host factors determining the outcome of infections and the use as screening system for identifying bacterial virulence factors. here we report about the legionella pneumophila directed phagosome biogenesis and the cell-to-cell spread of mycobacterium species. moreover, we highlight recent ...201021109012
a kinetic study of the cytokine/chemokines levels and disruption of blood-brain barrier in infant rats after pneumococcal meningitis.bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space that occurs in response of bacteria. young children are particularly vulnerable to bacterial meningitis, two thirds of meningitis deaths in low-income countries occur among children under the age of fifteen. the main bacterial pathogens causing meningitis beyond the neonatal period are streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenza type b and neisseria meningitidis. therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the ...201021109308
high level expression of a recombinant amylosucrase gene and selected properties of the enzyme.two high-level heterologous expression systems for amylosucrase genes have been constructed. one depends on sigma-70 bacterial rna polymerase, the other on phage t7 rna polymerase. translational fusions were formed between slightly truncated versions of the gene from neisseria polysaccharea and sequences of expression vectors pqe-81l or pet33b(+), respectively. these constructs were introduced into different escherichia coli strains. the resulting recombinants yielded up to 170 mg of dissolved e ...201021113589
characterization of diverse subvariants of the meningococcal factor h (fh) binding protein for their ability to bind fh, to mediate serum resistance, and to induce bactericidal antibodies.neisseria meningitidis is a commensal of the human nasopharynx but is also a major cause of septicemia and meningitis. the meningococcal factor h binding protein (fhbp) binds human factor h (fh), enabling downregulation of complement activation on the bacterial surface. fhbp is a component of two serogroup b meningococcal vaccines currently in clinical development. here we characterize 12 fhbp subvariants for their level of surface exposure and ability to bind fh, to mediate serum resistance, an ...201021149595
young-adult carriers of neisseria meningitidis in puglia (italy): will the pattern of circulating meningococci change following the introduction of meningococcal serogroup c conjugate vaccines?studies of meningococcal carriage are essential in improving knowledge of the epidemiology of meningococcal disease. the aim of this study is to ascertain the carrier rate and the serogroups of neisseria meningitidis circulating in a sample of students from the university of bari. the population consisted of university students from the university of bari - school of medicine, who were invited to take a nasopharyngeal swab. the swabs were plated on selective plate medium; cultural and mlst tests ...201021150271
neisseria meningitidis urethritis: a case report highlighting clinical similarities to and epidemiological differences from gonococcal urethritis.an adult male presented to the hawaii health department with a purulent urethral discharge. urethral gram stain examination led to a presumptive gonorrhea diagnosis even though his sexual history was nonsupportive. culture results identified neisseria meningitidis. this case report highlights the clinical similarities and differing epidemiology of these neisseria urethritides.201021150815
partitioning core and satellite taxa from within cystic fibrosis lung bacterial communities.cystic fibrosis (cf) patients suffer from chronic bacterial lung infections that lead to death in the majority of cases. the need to maintain lung function in these patients means that characterising these infections is vital. increasingly, culture-independent analyses are expanding the number of bacterial species associated with cf respiratory samples; however, the potential significance of these species is not known. here, we applied ecological statistical tools to such culture-independent dat ...201021151003
association of secondhand smoke exposure with pediatric invasive bacterial disease and bacterial carriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.a number of epidemiologic studies have observed an association between secondhand smoke (shs) exposure and pediatric invasive bacterial disease (ibd) but the evidence has not been systematically reviewed. we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of shs exposure and two outcomes, ibd and pharyngeal carriage of bacteria, for neisseria meningitidis (n. meningitidis), haemophilus influenzae type b (hib), and streptococcus pneumoniae (s. pneumoniae).201021151890
nitric oxide is not involved in neisseria gonorrhoeae-induced cellular damage of human fallopian tubes in vitro.in the present study, we investigated whether cellular damage, as demonstrated by lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) release in the human fallopian tube (ft) infected by neisseria gonorrhoeae (ngo), correlated with high levels of nitric oxide synthase (nos) mrna and enzyme activity. infection with ngo induced a significant increase (~35-fold) in mrna transcripts of the inducible isoform of nos. paradoxically, a reduction in nos enzyme activity was observed in infected cultures, suggesting that gonococc ...201021157631
enhancing gonococcal antimicrobial resistance surveillance: a real-time pcr assay for detection of penicillinase-producing neisseria gonorrhoeae by use of noncultured clinical samples.with increasing concerns regarding diminishing treatment options for gonorrhea, maintaining the efficacy of currently used treatments and ensuring optimal neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance surveillance are of the utmost importance. penicillin is still used to treat gonorrhea in some parts of the world. in this study, we developed and validated a real-time pcr assay for the detection of penicillinase-producing n. gonorrhoeae (ppng) in noncultured clinical samples with the aim of enha ...201021159935
[the role of lactoferrin in the iron metabolism. part ii. antimicrobial and antiinflammatory effect of lactoferrin by chelation of iron].lactoferrin (lf) is a glycoprotein widely distributed in mammalian organisms. it is synthesized by epithelial cells; hence it is present in secretions of mucous membranes. it is also contained in secondary granules of neutrophils and released to the circulation during trauma, infection or inflammation. lf belongs to the transferrin family--proteins binding iron ions with a high affinity. upon isolation in 1961 lf was initially called a red, iron-binding protein. lf's ability to bind iron is asso ...201021160095
sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2010.these guidelines for the treatment of persons who have or are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (stds) were updated by cdc after consultation with a group of professionals knowledgeable in the field of stds who met in atlanta on april 18-30, 2009. the information in this report updates the 2006 guidelines for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (mmwr 2006;55[no. rr-11]). included in these updated guidelines is new information regarding 1) the expanded diagnostic evaluation for cer ...201021160459
cardiobacterium valvarum infective endocarditis and phenotypic/molecular characterization of 11 cardiobacterium species strains.cardiobacterium valvarum is a newly recognized human pathogen related to infective endocarditis. cardiobacterium species are, however, only rarely the aetiology of infective endocarditis. an infective endocarditis case is presented and, additionally, phenotypic and phylogenetic comparison of a further 10 collection strains, representing the two species within the genus, was performed. c. valvarum was isolated from the blood and dna was present in valvular tissue (partial 16s rrna gene analysis) ...201021163827
prevalence and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections in a high-risk occupational group: the case of fishermen along lake victoria in kisumu, kenya.the aim of this study was to assess prevalence and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections (stis) among fishermen along lake victoria, kenya. this cross-sectional study surveyed 250 fishermen from beaches in kisumu district using proportional-to-size sampling based on the number of registered boats per beach. participants provided demographic and sexual behaviour information, blood for hiv-1 herpes simplex virus type 2 (hsv-2) and syphilis serological tests urine for transcription-media ...201021139150
study of various presentation forms for a peptide mimetic of neisseria meningitidis serogroup b capsular polysaccharide.the formulation of a broadly protective vaccine to prevent the serogroup b neisseria meningitidis (menb) disease is still an unmet medical need. we have previously reported the induction of bactericidal and protective antibodies against menb after immunization of mice with a phage-displayed peptide named 4 l-5. this peptide mimics a capsular polysaccharide (cps) epitope in menb. with the aim of developing vaccine formulations that could be used in humans, we evaluate in this study various forms ...201021141955
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