N. meningitidis MenB

Neisseria meningitidis, often referred to as meningococcus, is a bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a life-threatening sepsis. N. meningitidis is a major cause of illness and death during childhood in industrialized countries and has been responsible for epidemics in Africa and in Asia. The bacteria are round and are often joined in pairs. They are Gram-negative since they have outer and inner membranes with a thin layer of peptidoglycan in between. Cultures of the bacteria test positive for the enzyme cytochrome c oxidase.