Identification of N. gonorrhoeae and Related Species
Biochemical Tests for the Identification of N. gonorrhoeae and Related Species
Traditionally, tests used to identify strains of Neisseria species were performed as individual non-commercial tests. Although these tests have, in many cases, been superseded by commercially available products, reference laboratories may use additional individual tests to identify strains of Neisseria and related species. Table 1 provides a list of traditional tests used to identify strains of N. gonorrhoeae.
Detailed information on biochemical tests is in the menu at left and in Table 1.
Table 1. Differential characteristics of human Neisseria spp., M. catarrhalis, and K. denitrificans
Species | Acid from | Nitrate Reduction | Poly- saccharide from Sucrose | DNase | Superoxol | Pigment | Colistin Resistance | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | M | S | F | L | |||||||
N. gonorrhoeae | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Strong (4+) positive ("explosive") | - | R |
N. gonorrhoeae subspecies kochii | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Strong (4+) positive ("explosive") | - | R |
N. meningitidis | + | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | Weak (1+) to strong (4+) positive | - | R |
N. lactamica | + | + | - | - | + | - | - | - | Weak (1+) to strong (3+) positive | + | R |
N. polysaccharea | + | + | - | - | - | - | + | - | Weak (1+) to strong (3+) positive | - | (R) |
N. cinerea | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Weak (2+) positive | - | (R) |
N. flavescens | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | Weak (2+) positive | + | S |
N. mucosa | + | + | + | + | - | + | + | - | Weak (2+) positive | d | S |
N. subflava biovar subflava | + | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | Weak (2+) positive | + | S |
N. subflava biovar flava | + | + | - | + | - | - | - | - | Weak (2+) positive | + | S |
N. subflava biovar perflava | + | + | + | + | - | - | + | - | Weak (2+) positive | + | (R) |
N. sicca | + | + | + | + | - | - | + | - | Weak (2+) positive | - | S |
N. elongata | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | S |
M. catarrhalis | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | + | Weak (1+) to Strong (3+ to 4+) positive | - | (R) |
K. denitrificans | + | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | R |
- Page last reviewed: March 31, 2017
- Page last updated: October 17, 2008
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