Problems in the culture diagnosis of gonorrhea.

Numerous problems affect the culture of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A screening culture for gonorrhea detects only 65-85% of infected women. The yield of those cultures is improved by careful sampling and the use of a second specimen. Several selective media enhance the growth and isolation of Neisseria, but 3% of the strains are inhibited by those media. Sixteen percent fewer infections are detected when long-term transport of gonorrhea culture specimens is used instead of on-site bacteriologic testing.