GONOCOCCIN Meaning and
Definition
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Gonococcin is a term used in bacteriology to refer to a specific bacteriophage that selectively targets and infects the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. Bacteriophages are viruses that are capable of infecting and replicating within specific bacteria.
Gonococcin is a type of bacteriophage that exhibits a narrow host range, meaning it only infects a specific species or strain of bacteria. Specifically, gonococcin exclusively targets N. gonorrhoeae, and it is unable to infect other bacterial species. This specificity is due to the recognition and attachment of the bacteriophage to specific receptors on the surface of N. gonorrhoeae.
Upon attachment and subsequent infection, the gonococcin bacteriophage injects its genetic material into the bacterial cell, where it hijacks the host's metabolic machinery to replicate itself. This eventually leads to the lysis, or bursting, of the bacterial cell, releasing a new generation of bacteriophages that can go on to infect other N. gonorrhoeae bacteria.
Gonococcin has garnered interest in recent years as a potential alternative treatment for gonorrhea, particularly in cases of antibiotic-resistant strains. Bacteriophages offer the advantage of being highly specific in their action, potentially reducing collateral damage to beneficial bacteria in the body, and they have been investigated as a potential avenue for precision medicine in treating bacterial infections.
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A glycerin extract of gonococci, used in the cutireaction test for gonorrheal infection.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for GONOCOCCIN
- fonococcin
- vonococcin
- bonococcin
- honococcin
- yonococcin
- tonococcin
- ginococcin
- gknococcin
- glnococcin
- gpnococcin
- g0nococcin
- g9nococcin
- gobococcin
- gomococcin
- gojococcin
- gohococcin
- gonicoccin
- gonkcoccin
- gonlcoccin
- gonpcoccin
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