NAME: Neisseria spp. (other than N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis)
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: N. lactamica, N. mucosa, N. polysaccharea, N. subflava, N. sicca, N. mucosa, N. cinerea, N. flavescens
CHARACTERISTICS: Family Neisseriaceae; gram negative diplococci, kidney bean-shaped, aerobic or facultatively aerobic, oxidative, non-motile, form tetrads
PATHOGENICITY: Inhabit the oro- and nasopharyngeal mucous membranes; usually non-pathogenic; pigmented forms occasionally associated with meningitis (N. flavescens, N. subflava); N. lactamica found frequently in throat and nasopharyngeal cultures of infants (occasionally causes endocarditis and meningitis); N. mucosa found in human nasopharynx and occasionally causes pneumonia; implicated as an etiologic agent in meningitis, bacteremia, endocarditis, empyema, pericarditis and pneumonia
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide
HOST RANGE: Humans
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By contact with droplets and discharges from nose and throat of infected persons; not common as organisms are of low virulence
INCUBATION PERIOD: Possibly 1-2 weeks
COMMUNICABILITY: Low communicability
RESERVOIR: Humans
ZOONOSIS: None
VECTORS: None
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin
DRUB RESISTANCE: Presence of Tet-M gene confers tetracyline resistance in some strains; N. cinerea are less susceptible to erythromycin
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to many disinfectants - 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, iodines, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Susceptible to moist heat (121° C for at least 15 min) and dry heat (160-170° C for at least 1 hour)
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Limited
SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by smear of CSF to demonstrate organism
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Antibiotic therapy
IMMUNIZATION: None
PROPHYLAXIS: None
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: Low risk of infection
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Nasopharyngeal specimens, cerebrospinal fluid, blood
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Parenteral inoculation; droplet exposure of mucous membranes
SPECIAL HAZARDS: None
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment for all activities utilizing known or potentially infectious specimens and cultures
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when direct contact with infectious materials is unavoidable
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: None
SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towel and then 1% sodium hypochlorite, starting at perimeter and working towards the centre; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) before clean up
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal; steam sterilization, chemical disinfection, incineration
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled
Date prepared: March, 2001
Prepared by: Office of Laboratory Security, PHAC
Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.
Copyright ©
Health Canada, 2001