Medicine & USMLE

Neisseria meningitidis

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Bacteria - Gram Negative
  1. Neisseria spp: Overview
  2. Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  3. Neisseria meningitidis
  4. Haemophilus influenzae
  5. Bordetella pertussis
  6. Brucella
  7. Legionella pneumophila
  8. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Overview
  9. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Disease
  10. Salmonella Overview
  11. Salmonella typhi
  12. Salmonella enteritidis
  13. Shigella
  14. Yersinia enterocolitica
  15. Escherichia coli: Overview
  16. Enterohemorrhagic E. Coli (EHEC)
  17. Enterotoxigenic E. Coli (ETEC)
  18. Klebsiella pneumoniae
  19. Campylobacter jejuni
  20. Vibrio spp.
  21. Helicobacter pylori
  22. Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme Disease)
  23. Leptospira interrogans
  24. Treponema pallidum: Overview
  25. Treponema pallidum: Diagnosis
  26. Congenital syphilis
  27. Chlamydia: Overview
  28. Chlamydia trachomatis
  29. Chlamydia pneumoniae vs. psittaci
  30. Rickettsia rickettsii
  31. Rickettsia typhi vs. prowazekii
  32. Anaplasma vs. Ehrlichia
  33. Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)

Neisseria meningitidis 

  • Unique Characteristics
    • See Neisseria Overview for characteristics to all Neisseria spp.
    • Polysaccharide capsule 
      • Increased risk in asplenic patients, since spleen works to remove encapsulated organisms
      • Contrast vs. N gonorrhoeae - no capsule
    • Maltose acid detection 
      • Contrast vs. N gonorrhoeae - no maltose acid detection 
  • Transmitted via respiratory droplets/direct contact
    • Common in college students and military, between people in close proximity
  • Presentation
    • Meningitis
    • Adrenal hemorrhage (Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome)
      • Seen in disseminated infection (septicemia)
      • Presents with adrenal insufficiency, fever, DIC (bleeding), shock
    • Fever, chills
  • Vaccine
    • Available for at-risk individuals
    • Does not cover all serogroups (e.g. Group B)
    • Contrast vs. N gonorrhoeae - no vaccine 
  • Treatment
    • Penicillin G
      • First-line agent for treatment of active infection (without meningitis)
      • Not useful for prophylaxis (use rifampin)
    • Ceftriaxone
      • First-line for bacterial meningitis
    • Rifampin for prevention in close contacts