Pathogens
Neisseria meningitidis

Neisseria meningitidis

Precautions

Droplet / Contact Precautions

Susceptibilities

General Information

Encapsulated gram negative diplococci.

Normal flora - humans are the reservoir.

Multiple conjugated vaccines available: monovalent Men-C-C and quadrivalent Men-C-A/C/Y/W-135.

Multicomponent 4CMenB (Bexsero) available though not routinely used.

Occurs in outbreaks particularly in crowded setting.

Colonizer and cause of invasive disease: meningitis, meningococcemia, and rarely pneumonia, septic arthritis, pericarditis, conjunctivitis, and others.

Generally of little significance when cultured from non-sterile sites i.e. genital, pharynx.

PCR testing available.