An evaluation of the microcult gonorrhea detection system

The Microcult Gonorrhea Detection System employs a dehydrated selective medium adsorbed into a cellulose matrix. The medium is rehydrated before use, then incubated in a foil pouch with a tablet that releases carbon dioxide. Duplicate specimens were plated in parallel on modified Thayer-Martin media and Microcult media. In all, 131 urethral specimens which contained gram-negative intracellular diplococci, 311 cervical specimens and 308 anal specimens were studied. Gonococci were isolated on modified Thayer-Martin media from 128 urethral, 63 cervical, and 29 anal specimens. In contrast 109 urethral, 48 cervical, and 5 anal specimens were shown to contain gonococci using the Microcult system. The Microcult system is inferior to fresh modified Thayer-Martin media for detecting gonococci.