A new solidifying agent for the isolation and cultivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

These studies have dealt with the cooperative aspect of the need for the development of newer procedures in the laboratory diagnosis on N. gonorrhoeae, particularly that of a suitable culture medium. Two media, GC medium of Thayer and Martin and NEUTRA-GEL, were evaluated in their ability to support growth of the gonococcus. It has been shown that NEUTRA-GEL tends to result in a higher percent recovery of positive cultures from clinical specimens, as well as serving as a better supportive medium for growth of N. gonorrhoeae than that of the GC medium now commonly used in many clinical bacteriological laboratories. The differences in growth pattern in these two media, as indicated by a statistical analysis, tended to support the conclusion that NEUTRA-GEL is considerably better than GC medium in supporting the primary cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae. A series of experiments have been described relative to improving the NEUTRA-GEL medium initially used for recovery of gonococcus from clinical specimens. It has been shown that proteose peptone No. 3, now used as a supplement in NEUTRA-GEL, probably contains growth inhibitory substances. The effect of the inhibitory substances on growth can be overcome, in part, by reducing the concentration of peptone supplement, at the same time supplying the essential nutrients needed to support growth. Several basic and applied aspects of future problems to be investigated are implied from these results.