The recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens: effects of different temperatures, transport times, and media.

Factors influencing the recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from patients were studied. By comparison of the survival times of N. gonorrhoeae in Amies and modified Thayer-Martin media at different temperatures, it was found that the organism survived better at low temperature in the former medium, but at higher temperature on the latter. Even at 4 C, N. gonorrhoeae showed a loss of viability in Amies medium. Culture plates inoculated with cervical specimens can be kept in a CO2-enriched environment at high ambient temperature (approximately 24-30 C) for 18-24 hr before incubation with only a slight loss in isolation rate. Urine specimens are unsuitable for recovery of N. gonorrhoeae from female prostitutes, and urine specimens from male patients should not be kept overnight. Non-penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae isolates from prostitutes not only had fewer colonies on culture plates but also required more time for growth to be visible.