Lipooligosaccharide (LOS), a potent endotoxin, causes:
Lipooligosaccharides are naturally occurring variants of the more common glycolipid, lipopolysaccharide. While lipopolysaccharides are common in the enteric bacteria, LOS is present in bacteria that colonize those mucosal surfaces that are not bathed in bile. LOS is a highly phase variable molecule.
LOS is clinically relevant in Neisseria meningitidis infections, where it has been shown to correlate with the severity of disease, as well as cause the complications listed above which are hallmarks of meningococcal meningitis.