Cultural diagnosis of gonorrhoea with modified New York City (MNYC) medium.

Abstract

A simply prepared modified New York City medium, designated MNYC was compared with Thayer Martin (TM) medium for the cultural diagnosis of [human] gonorrhea. MNYC medium contained lincomycin, commercial gonococcal vase and lysed whole blood; the original New York City medium contained fresh horse plasma and Hb solution, a basal medium prepared from basic ingredients and vanocmycin. Using MNYC medium gonococci were cultured from 96.1% of men and 100% of women with gonorrhea (positive film and/or culture) compared with only 77.6%, respectively, using TM medium. There were no patients positive by culture on TM medium but negative by culture on MNYC medium. The proportion of men with positive films but negative culture was reduced from 17.1% on TM medium to 3.9% on MNYC medium. There were no women with positive films, but negative cultures on MNYC medium compared with 19% on TM medium. MNYC medium is recommended as a simple prepared and highly efficient medium for the cultural diagnosis of gonorrhea.