Bacterium
Neisseria meningitidis
Gram-negative diplococci
nye-SEER-ee-uh meh-nin-JIT-ih-dis
High-yield clue
Gram-negative diplococci + oxidase positive + capsule is the recognition pattern.
Overview
A Gram-negative diplococcus linked to oxidase positivity, capsule concepts, and meningitis/outbreak vocabulary in educational cases.
Classification
- Gram-negative
- Diplococci
- Oxidase positive
Lab & identification clues
- Oxidase positive
- Chocolate agar vocabulary
- Capsule is high-yield
Associations
- Meningitis vocabulary
- Petechial rash clue in educational cases
- Vaccine/public-health concepts
Commonly confused with
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
Frequently asked questions
What is Neisseria meningitidis?
A Gram-negative diplococcus linked to oxidase positivity, capsule concepts, and meningitis/outbreak vocabulary in educational cases.
What is the Gram stain of Neisseria meningitidis?
Neisseria meningitidis is Gram negative.
What are the lab clues for Neisseria meningitidis?
Lab clues for Neisseria meningitidis include Oxidase positive, Chocolate agar vocabulary, and Capsule is high-yield.
What is Neisseria meningitidis commonly confused with?
Neisseria meningitidis is commonly confused with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.