Monoclonal antibody direct immunofluorescence for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains grown on selective culture media.

Commercially available reagents for monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence, polyclonal antibody immunofluorescence, and coagglutination were employed in comparison with a rapid sugar fermentation test used for identifying clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae recovered on modified Thayer-Martin media. Of 68 gonococcal strains, 68 were positive by the monoclonal immunofluorescent antibody. Of 16 nongonococcal gram-negative, oxidase-positive diplococci, all were negative by this reagent. Monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence was more specific and more sensitive than polyclonal antibody immunofluorescence and more sensitive than coagglutination.