ABSTRACT
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a gram-negative, kidney-beanshaped diplococcus measuring 0.6 to 1 mm in diameter. It is a strict aerobe and requires humidity and CO2 for growth. Optimal growth occurs at 34° C to 36° C and a pH range of 7.2 to 7.6. Prior therapy with penicillin or its synthetic analogs can significantly alter both the characteristic bacterial morphology and the stainability, thus on occasion obscuring diagnosis from Gram-stained 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.
