Neisseria gonorrhoeae: methods for laboratory identification.

Clinical laboratorians must use methods that will allow isolation of gonococci from both genital and extragenital sites. Whenever possible, nonselective as well as antibiotic-containing media sould be used because some gonococci are susceptible to the concentrations of vancomycin present in selective media. For identification, subculture of the primary isolate onto nonselective medium not only assures that a pure culture is used, but also provides sufficient inoculum for a rapid result. At present, the most common gonococcal identification methods are carbohydrate degradation tests performed with CTA-base carbohydrate media, buffered carbohydrate solutions, the Minitek and the BACTEC systems, and the coagglutination immunologic method. Although penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae have not become as widespread a problem as expected, methods for their detection should be available in the laboratory.