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Pathogenesis and Microbiology
The etiologic agent in gonorrhea is Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is an
oxidase-positive and Gram-negative diplococcus. It utilizes glucose, but not
sucrose, maltose, or lactose and infects mucus-secreting epithelial cells.
N. gonorrhoeae divides by binary fission every 20-30 minutes.
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N. gonorrhoeae attaches to different types of epithelial cells via a number of
structures located on the surface of gonococci. N. gonorrhoeae has the ability to
alter these surface structures, which helps the organism to evade an effective host response.
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