Neisseria gonorrhoeae

 

 

Epidemiology

 

Classification and Characteristics

Virulence Factors

Transmission and Infection

risk factors include:

male-to-female transmission risk is ~50% per episode, while female-to-male is 20%. Anal sex also has high risk of transmission

Perinatal transmission during vaginal delivery typically involves eyes

 

GC primarily infects columnar or cuboidal, not squamous, epithelium, with attachment mediated by pili and outer membrane proteins. Cell penetration occurs within 24 hours, and infection is established in subepithelial space.

 

 

Clinical Manifesations

urethritis, cervicitis, anorectal or pharyngeal gonnorhea, PID, disseminated disease, arthritis

A vigorous PMN response to GC infection leads to sloughing of epithelium and pus exudation after 2-5 day incubation.

Approximately 95% of men experience acute symptoms.

Symptomatic women commonly experience vaginal discharge, dysuria, and abdominal pain. Ascending genital infection, including salphingitis and PID, occur in 10-20% of women.

Infection may spread to the proximal genital tract or bloodstream, potentially spreading to joints or causing other systemic effects

 

Diagnosis

Be careful when diagnosing STIs!

A cervical, not vaginal, swab must be done to diagnosie GC.

gram stain: sensitive but not specific

culture

PCR

 

Treatment

much antibiotic resistance

current recommendation is 400 mg cefixime (cephalosporin); often gonnorhea and chlamydia treated concurrently