Evaluation of modified Stuart's medium in Culturettes for transport of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

A prospective study compared rates of isolation of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae after immediate plating of clinical specimens onto Thayer-Martin medium with isolation rates after initial transport in modified Stuart's medium (MST) contained in Culturettes. Of 75 specimens positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae after immediate plating onto Thayer-Martin medium, 65 (87%) were also positive after being held in MST medium for < or = 8 hr. Twenty (95%) of 21 clinical specimens remained positive after being held in MST medium for < or = 3 hr. However, the rates of isolation of N. gonorrhoeae were significantly reduced after transport for 24 and 48 hr; 60% and 27% of specimens, respectively, yielded N. gonorrhoeae-positive cultures after these intervals. Therefore, it is concluded the MST medium in Culturettes is an acceptable transport medium for specimens containing N. gonorrhoeae when transport time prior to inoculation of growth medium is < or = 3 hr.