True about Neisseria gonorrhoea?

ANSWER: (A) Kidney shapedREF: Jatvetz Microbiology, 24th Ed, Ch. 21GONOCOCCIThe typical neisseria is a gram-negative, nonmotile diplococcus, approximately 0.8 urn in diameter. Individual cocci are kidney-shaped: when the organisms occur in pairs, the flat or concave sides are adjacent.In 48 hours on enriched media (eg, Mueller-Hinton, modified Thayer-Martin), gonococci and meningococci form convex, glistening, elevated, mucoid colonies 1-5 mm in diameter. Colonies are transparent or opaque, nonpigmented, and nonhemolytic.Outer membrane proteinsGonnococd outer membrane proteinsName of proteinAlso calledPropertiesPor I- Por A''Por BPorin protein/ Protein I (Por A & Por B are immunologically distinct forms)- Heat stable- Por A & Por B are never expressed together- Influences the killing of organisms in PMN's by preventing phagosome-lysosome fusion & diminishing the oxidative burst- Anti por antibodies are used commercially for identification of N gonorrhoeaOpa (proteinOuter membrane opacity protein, Protein II, PII- Augment pilus mediate adherence to mucosal surfaces- Heat labileRmp proteinReduction modifiable protein, Protein III, P III- Homologous with E coli outer membrane protein (Omp A)Serologic typing of Por by agglutination reactions with monoclonal antibodies has distinguished 18 serovars of PorA and 2S serovars of PorB.Gonorrhea is exclusively transmitted by sexual contact, often by women and men with asymptomatic infections. The infectivity of the organism is such that the chance of acquiring infection from a single exposure to an infected sexual partner is 20-30% for men and even greater for women.The infection rate can be reduced by avoiding multiple sexual partners, rapidly eradicating gonococci from infected individuals by means of early diagnosis and treatment, and finding cases and contacts through education and screening of populations at high risk. Mechanical prophylaxis (condoms) provides partial protection. Chemoprophylaxis is of limited value because of the rise in antibiotic resistance of the gonococcus.