Identification of N. gonorrhoeae and Related Species
Natural Habitat of Neisseria and Related Species
Most Neisseria and related species are normal flora in humans and animals (Table 2); their host range is shown in Table 2. However, some species such as N. gonorrhoeae are pathogens in normal hosts and those species listed as commensals may be opportunistic pathogens.
Table 2. Host Range of Neisseria species, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Kingella denitrificans
Species | Host | Pathogen/Commensal |
---|---|---|
HUMAN | ||
N. gonorrhoeae | Man | Pathogen |
N.meningitidis | Man | Occurs in carrier state Some strains cause epidemics/pandemics |
N. lactamica | Man | Commensal; more frequent in children than adults |
N. polysaccarea | Man | Commensal |
N. cinerea | Man | Commensal |
N. flavescens | Man | Isolated from outbreak of meningitis Apart from the original description, there are no reliable isolations of this species; strains isolated as N. flavescens were probably N. cinerea or N. polysaccharea |
N. subflava Biovar subflava | Man | Commensal |
N. subflava Biovar flava | Man | Commensal |
N. subflava Biovar perflava | Man | Commensal |
N. sicca | Man | Commensal |
N. mucosa | Man | Commensal Similar strain isolated from dolphins |
N. elongata | Man | Commensal |
M. catarrhalis | Man | Possibly normal flora of the nasopharynx Causes respiratory tract infections including otitis media and sinusitis |
K. denitrificans | Man | Commensal |
ANIMAL | ||
N. canis | Cat | Commensal |
N. denitrificans | Guinea pig | Commensal |
N. weaveri | Dog | Commensal in the upper respiratory tract of dogs; isolated from dog bites in humans |
N. iguanae | Iguana | Commensal |
N. ovis* | Sheep Cattle | Causes keratoconjunctivitis in sheep |
N. caviae* | Guinea pig | Commensal |
N. cuniculi* | Rabbit | Commensal |
N. macacae | Monkey | Commensal |
*Species incertae sedis, taxonomic position uncertain
- Page last reviewed: March 31, 2017
- Page last updated: October 17, 2008
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