Endocervical infection in a pregnant woman caused by Neisseria meningitidis: evidence of associated oropharyngeal colonization of the male partner.

A case of premature birth associated with an endocervical infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis is reported. Treatment of the mother with amoxycillin eradicated the bacteria from the endocervix and avoided newborn colonization or infection. Epidemiological investigation identified meningococcal oropharyngeal colonization of the male partner. The two strains were of the same antigenic formula B:4:P1.14 and exhibited identical rDNA restriction fragment patterns and outer membrane protein profiles. This phenotypic and genomic identity of strains is the first clear evidence for cross-colonization between sexual partners.