Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Gonorrhea Laboratory Information
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 Although these tests have, in many cases, been superseded by commercially available products, reference laboratories may use additional individual tests to identify strains of Neisseria and related species.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