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The genus Neisseria contains two important human pathogens: Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Neisseria meningitidis mainly causes meningitis and meningococcemia (Figure 16–1). In the United States, it is the leading cause of death from infection in children. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea (Figure 16–2), the second most common notifiable bacterial disease in the United States (Tables 16–1 and 16–2). It also causes neonatal conjunctivitis (ophthalmia neonatorum) (Figure 16–3) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Note that N. meningitidis is also known as the meningococcus (plural, meningococci), and N. gonorrhoeae is also known as the gonococcus (plural, gonococci).
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Additional information regarding the clinical aspects of infections caused by the organisms in this chapter is provided in Part IX entitled Infectious Diseases beginning on Osteomyelitis.
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Neisseriae are gram-negative cocci that resemble paired kidney beans ...