Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1980 Aug;12(2):216–219. doi: 10.1128/jcm.12.2.216-219.1980

Combining cervical and anal-canal specimens for gonorrhea on a single culture plate.

F N Judson, B A Werness
PMCID: PMC273557  PMID: 6785305

Abstract

To reduce the cost of detecting gonorrhea, we studied the effect on diagnostic sensitivity of combining two culture specimens on the same plate of modified Thayer-Martin medium, using specimens from 7,787 women seen consecutively in the clinic. There was no significant difference (P greater than 0.05) between one cervical and one anal-canal specimen placed on separate plates (C,A) and these two specimens combined but spaced apart on a single plate (C/A), or between two cervical specimens combined but spaced apart on the same plate (C/C) and C/A. Therefore, C/C, C/A, and C,A have equivalent diagnostic sensitivities. C/A detected 5.68% more women with gonorrhea than did a single cervical culture (C) (P less than 0.001). If C/A were to replace C,A for culture specimens from women seen in venereal disease clinics and C for specimens taken and cultured outside of venereal disease, gonorrhea control programs in the United States could realize savings in excess of $2.5 million per year.

Full text

PDF
216

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barlow D., Phillips I. Gonorrhoea in women. Diagnostic, clinical, and laboratory aspects. Lancet. 1978 Apr 8;1(8067):761–764. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90870-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Caldwell J. G., Price E. V., Pazin G. J., Cornelius C. E., 3rd Sensitivity and reproducibility of Thayer-Martin culture mddium in diagnosing gonorrhea in women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1971 Feb 1;109(3):463–468. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(71)90346-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chapel T. A., Keane M. B., Gatewood C. Combining cervical and rectal cultures for gonorrhea on a single modified Thayer-Martin plate. Health Lab Sci. 1976 Jul;13(3):190–193. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dans P. E., Judson F. The establishment of a venereal disease clinic: II. An appraisal of current diagnostic methods in uncomplicated urogenital and rectal gonorrhea. J Am Vener Dis Assoc. 1975 Mar;1(3):107–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Judson F. N. A clinic-based system for monitoring the quality of techniques for the diagnosis of gonorrhea. Sex Transm Dis. 1978 Oct-Dec;5(4):141–145. doi: 10.1097/00007435-197810000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kaye D., Levison M. E. In vitro inhibition of growth of neisseria gonorrhoeae by genital microorganisms. Sex Transm Dis. 1977 Jan-Mar;4(1):1–3. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kraus S. J., Geller R. C., Perkins G. H., Rhoden D. L. Interference by Neisseria gonorrhoeae growth by other bacterial species. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Sep;4(3):288–295. doi: 10.1128/jcm.4.3.288-295.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Lucas J. B., Price E. V., Thayer J. D., Schroeter A. Diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea in the female. N Engl J Med. 1967 Jun 29;276(26):1454–1459. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196706292762602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Olsen G. A. Value of vaginal and rectal cultures in the diagnosis of gonorrhoea. With special reference to areas with limited medical facilities. Br J Vener Dis. 1971 Apr;47(2):102–106. doi: 10.1136/sti.47.2.102. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Schmale J. D., Martin J. E., Jr, Domescik G. Observations on the culture diagnosis of gonorrhea in women. JAMA. 1969 Oct 13;210(2):312–314. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Schroeter A. L., Reynolds G. The rectal culture as a test of cure of gonorrhea in the female. J Infect Dis. 1972 May;125(5):499–503. doi: 10.1093/infdis/125.5.499. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Seth A. Use of trimethoprim to prevent overgrowth by Proteus in the cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae. Br J Vener Dis. 1970 Jun;46(3):201–202. doi: 10.1136/sti.46.3.201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Thayer J. D., Martin J. E., Jr Improved medium selective for cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. Public Health Rep. 1966 Jun;81(6):559–562. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Washington A. E. Experience with various antibiotics for treatment of anorectal gonorrhea. Sex Transm Dis. 1979 Apr-Jun;6(2 Suppl):148–151. doi: 10.1097/00007435-197904000-00020. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES