ABSTRACT
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative, kidney-bean-shaped diplococcus measuring 0.6-1 µm in diameter. It is a strict aerobe which requires humidity and CO2 for growth. Optimal growth occurs at 34º-36ºC and a pH range of 7.2-7.6. Prior therapy with penicillin or its synthetic analogues can significantly alter both the characteristic bacterial morphology and the stainability, thus on occasion obscuring diagnosis from Gramstained smears. Inhibition of cell wall synthesis by the penicillins causes the organism to lose its characteristic kidney bean-shape as well as its ability to stain Gram-negative.
