• Gram staining properties:

  • Gram negative diplococci (Kidney bean shaped, facing one another)

    • DDx: Moraxella catarrhalis is gram neg diploccoci, but "Hockey puck" consistency

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• Special Lab Tests:

  • Oxidase POSITIVE (ALL Neisseria sp.)

    • DDx: Moraxella catarrhalis is also Oxidase pos, but does NOT ferment any of the sugars. ​​

  • Tests for fermentation of the sugars Glucose, Maltose and Lactose to distinguish between the types (see below)

    • N. Gonorrhoeae- Glucose ONLY

    • N. Meningitidis- Glucose + Maltose

    • N. Lactamica- Glucose + Maltose + Lactose

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• Virulence factors:

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• Clinical Presentation & Diseases:

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Neisseria gonorrhoeae