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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1973 October; 26(4): 466-469
Copyright © 1973 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of Atmospheric Conditions for Culture of Clinical Specimens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77025
Houston City Health Department Laboratories, Houston, Texas 77025

ABSTRACT

We cultured 55 clinical specimens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the following atmospheric conditions: (i) 10% carbon dioxide in a CO₂ incubator; (ii) a candle extinction jar; (iii) an air convection incubator; and (iv) an anaerobic jar without added CO₂. The number and size of colonies growing on modified Thayer-Martin medium were evaluated after incubation of cultures for 24 and 48 h at 36 C. After 24 h, the specimens from the candle extinction jar had the greatest number and size of colonies, but after 48 h growth was approximately equal for specimens from the candle jar and the CO₂ incubator. Only 19 of 55 specimens grew in the air convention incubator. None of 55 clinical specimens or of 10 laboratory strains grew anaerobically. Development of colonial morphology for colony types 1, 2, 3, and 4 was studied at 24 h on a base medium that contained no hemoglobin. The relative numbers of the four colony types in specimens were comparable after 24 h of incubation in any of the three atmospheric conditions under which growth occurred, but the different types were distinguished most readily when grown in the candle extinction jar.