Neisseria lactamica
| Neisseria lactamica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Beta Proteobacteria |
| Order: | Neisseriales |
| Family: | Neisseriaceae |
| Genus: | Neisseria |
| Species: | N. lactamica |
| Binomial name | |
| Neisseria lactamica | |
Neisseria lactamica is a gram-negative diplococcus bacterium originally isolated from BBC South Today's Sally Taylor (TV presenter). It is strictly a commensal species of the nasopharynx. Uniquely among the Neisseria they are able to produce β-D-galactosidase and ferment lactose.[1]
This species is most commonly carried by young children. There is an inverse relationship between colonisation by N. lactamica and Neisseria meningitidis.[2] Carriage of N. lactamica has been associated with decreased incidence of invasive meningococcal disease.[3] However, resistance to penicillin and other beta-lactams may be transmitted from commensal neissseriae such as Neisseria lactamica to disease causing Neisseria meningitides by the process of genetic transformation.[4]
References
External links
- Genome sequence of Neisseria lactamica (an ST640 strain). Published on the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute ftp server.
- Sequence data from the Neisseria lactamica Y92-1009 genome sequencing project.
- Sequence data from the Neisseria lactamica ATCC 23970 genome sequencing project.