title: Comparison of direct inoculation and Copan transport systems for isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from endocervical specimens.
abstract: Two commercial swab transport systems, Copan Amies gel agar with and without charcoal (Copan Diagnostics, Corona, Calif.), were compared to direct inoculation onto modified Thayer-Martin medium for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 1,490 endocervical specimens obtained from women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Copan swabs were held in the transport system for 24 h at room temperature prior to inoculation onto modified Thayer-Martin medium. All cultures were incubated at 35 degrees C in 5% CO(2), and bacteria were identified on the basis of Gram stain, oxidase, and biochemical reactions. Copan Amies gel agar transport system without charcoal detected 77 of 81 (95%) direct inoculation culture-positive specimens, and Copan Amies gel agar transport system with charcoal detected 53 of 56 (95%) directly inoculated culture-positive specimens. Copan Amies gel agar without charcoal inoculated after 6 h supported growth of 56 (98%) positive cultures out of only 55 directly inoculated culture-positive specimens. This study demonstrates that Copan swabs represent a reasonable alternative, providing convenience, low cost, and ease of use while still maintaining a satisfactory recovery rate of N. gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens, if specimens can be inoculated onto selective media within a relatively short time period not involving overnight shipment.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35233-7331, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schwebke
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beverly
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Waites
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000362:Agar; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002606:Charcoal; D003470:Culture Media; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D002606:Charcoal; D000362:Agar