TABLE 1.

Recovery of N. meningitidis serogroups A, B, C, W135, Y, and Z from SGPs held at different temperatures for up to 90 days

Strain (serogroup)	No. of days of survivala
	4°C			4°C/room temperature			Room temperature
	+++	++	+	+++	++	+	+++	++	+
318 (A)	42	49	90	5	6	42	6	6	26
2785 (A)	49	90	90	12	24	49	4	12	26
2817 (A)	49	90	90	6	21	42	4	14	35
ATCC 13090 (B)	4	61	90	4	5	17	4	4	10
323 (C)	42	49	90	4	5	26	4	4	26
327 (W135)	61	90	90	5	19	61	5	17	49
326 (Y)	49	90	90	14	14	42	4	6	31
329 (Z)	31	90	90	4	4	42	4	6	21
Avg	41	76	90	7	12	40	4	9	28
SE	6.07	6.90		1.40	2.91	4.75	0.26	1.76	3.97
Median	45.50	90	90	5	10	42	4	6	26
Range	4–61	49–90	90	4–14	5–19	17–61	4–6	4–17	10–49

^aFor consistency, the last day of survival was defined as the sampling day preceding the one on which no growth was first recorded. In several instances, strains were intermittently recovered for up to 9 days after no growth was initially recorded. +++, more than 100 CFU/plate; ++, 20 to 100 CFU/plate; +, fewer than 20 CFU/plate.