MMI133 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Innate Immune System, Lipopolysaccharide, Sepsis

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Medical Microbiology and Immunology
• Course: MMI133
• Professor: Judy Gnarpe

Document Summary

Neisseria meningitidis: it may be resting on the back of your throat. Neisseria meningitidis has been the major cause of meningitis and sepsis for about. This species of bacteria is non-sporing and non-motile. N. meningitidis have an outer capsule, diferences in the polysaccharide structure of the outer capsule in diferent strains of the same species have led to their further division into 13 serotypes as of 2009 (2). The gram-negative bacteria contain the endotoxin lipoligosaccharide (los) in its cell wall. We are the primary reservoir of the species, humans are the species" only hosts. 25% of the human population may be carrying it without even being aware of it. The major source of the pathogen is from asymptomatic carriers (3), the carriage can last up to months. In a healthy human, the bacteria colonize the epithelial layer of the nasopharynx and posterior pharynx (2).