VEILLONELLA

(under the microscope)
Veillonella are Gram-negative cocci that are the anaerobic counterpart of Neisseria. These non-motile diplococci are part of the normal flora of the mouth. The reason this organism is important is not due to its pathogenicity. Instead, we include Veillonella because it can be and is often mistaken for the more serious gonococcal infection. The most common species isolated from humans is V. parvula. Veillonella species are negative for almost every biochemical test with the exception of an occasional strain being positive for catalase.