Abnormal Development - Gonorrhea

Notice - Mark Hill

Currently this page is only a template and will be updated (this notice removed when completed).

Introduction

The bacteria neisseria gonorrhea, the cause of gonorrhea.

The variety of bacterial infections that can occur during pregnancy is as variable as the potential developmental effects, from virtually insignificant to major developmental, abortive or fatal in outcome. Some bacteria are common and are part of the normal genital tract flora (Lactobacillus sp), while other bacterial infections are less common or even rare and initially infect/transmit by air or fluids through the different epithelia (genital tract, lungs, gastrointestinal tract). The genitally transmitted common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the bacterial infections described as syphilis and gonorrhoea. (STDs)

Infection in women can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and salpingitis, scarring of the uterine tubes, that in turn can lead to fertility issues or ectopic pregnancy. Pregnant women with severe gonorrhea can transmit the disease to their developing fetus or during delivery.

Some Recent Findings

Experimental transmission of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from pregnant rat to fetus.^[1] "...This study provides the first experimental model that may mimic the transmission of gonococcal infection from mother to the fetus during pregnancy."
Maternal self-reported genital tract infections during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects^[2] "We conducted a case-control study of 5913 children identified as controls and 12,158 cases with birth defects from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2004). Maternal interviews provided data on genital tract infections that occurred from one month before pregnancy through the end of the first trimester. Infections were either grouped together as a single overall exposure or were considered as a subgroup that included chlamydia/gonorrhea/pelvic inflammatory disease. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders. Genital tract infections were associated with bilateral renal agenesis/hypoplasia (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.11-7.50), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.03-2.06), and transverse limb deficiency (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.04-3.26). Chlamydia/gonorrhea/pelvic inflammatory disease was associated with cleft lip only (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.39-5.69). These findings were not statistically significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Caution is needed in interpreting these findings due to the possible misclassification of infection, the limited sample size that constrained consideration of the effects of treatment, and the possibility of chance associations. Although these data do not provide strong evidence for an association between genital tract infections and birth defects, additional research on the possible effects of these relatively common infections is needed."

Neisseria Gonorrhea

Neisseria Gonorrhea, arrowed within a cell (diplococci) and extracellular (pleomorphic) (Image CDC)

gram-negative bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae
causes the disease Gonorrhea
a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Maternal infection increases the risk of premature birth and ophthalmia neonatorum (infantile purulent conjunctivitis).
Genes: 2735; Protein coding: 2668; Length: 2,232,025 nt

Links: Genome

Lineage

Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Betaproteobacteria; Neisseriales; Neisseriaceae; Neisseria; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Neisseria gonorrhoeae NCCP11945

Gram Stain

Bacterial staining procedure named after Hans Christian Gram (1853 - 1938).

Generally divides bacteria into either:

Gram-positive bacteria purple crystal violet stain is trapped by layer of peptidoglycan (forms outer layer of the cell).
Gram-negative bacteria outer membrane prevents stain from reaching peptidoglycan layer in the periplasm, outer membrane then permeabilized and pink safranin counterstain is trapped by peptidoglycan layer.

Links: Histology Stains | Medical Microbiology - Gram stain procedure

Australian NHMRC Recommendations

The Australian NHMRC (1988) recommends neonates be assessed for follow-up care under the following conditions.

Birthweight less than 1500g or gestational age less than 32 weeks
Small-for-gestational-age neonates
Perinatal asphyxia
Apgar score less than 3 at 5 minutes
clinical evidence of neurological dysfunction
delay in onset of spontaneous respiration for more than 5 minutes and requiring mechanical ventilation
Clinical evidence of central nervous system abnormalities ie., seizures, hypotonia
Hyperbilirubinaemia of greater than 350umol/l in full term neonates
Genetic, dysmorphic or metabolic disorders or a family history of serious genetic disorder
Perinatal or serious neonatal infection including children of mothers who are HIV positive
Psychosocial problems eg., infants of drug-addicted or alcoholic mothers.

Links: NHMRC WWW Page

References

↑ <pubmed>10456962</pubmed>
↑ <pubmed>21319278</pubmed>

Reviews

Articles

Search Pubmed

Search NCBI Bookshelf: Medical Microbiology - Gonorrhea Search

Search PubMed: Congenital Gonorrhea | Abnormal Embryology Gonorrhea | Abnormal Development Gonorrhea | Gonorrhea

External Links

External Links Notice - The dynamic nature of the internet may mean that some of these listed links may no longer function. If the link no longer works search the web with the link text or name. Links to any external commercial sites are provided for information purposes only and should never be considered an endorsement. UNSW Embryology is provided as an educational resource with no clinical information or commercial affiliation.

PubMed Health - Gonorrhea
CDC (USA)
- CDC (USA) Fact Sheet - Gonorrhea
- Public Health Training Network Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (viewable Webcasts requires Media Player) | Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommendations
Office on Women's Health (USA)
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK) Infection and Pregnancy - study group recommendations (Jun 2001)

Glossary Links

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, April 18) Embryology Abnormal Development - Gonorrhea. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Abnormal_Development_-_Gonorrhea

What Links Here?

[1] <pubmed>10456962</pubmed>

[2] <pubmed>21319278</pubmed>

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