Method, reagents and apparatus for the rapid identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis

摘要

The disclosure is directed to a method, reagents and apparatus for the rapid (one to four hours) identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis from cultures grown on a selective or a non-selective medium. One drop of growth suspended in sterile salt solution is placed in each of a plurality of miniature reaction chambers supported on a common base and incubated at 35 DEG -37 DEG C. for one to four hours. A dried substrate and buffer is contained in each chamber. A detector reagent such as a diazo dye in an aqueous solution with a polar solvent is added to each chamber after incubation. The color change in each chamber is noted and compared with a profile to identify N. gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis. Synthetic substrates rather than sugars are used in the reaction chambers. The substrates are naphthyl derivatives, beta -naphthyl or beta -naphthylamides, and are (1) beta -naphthyl- beta ,D-galactopyranoside (2) N-L- lambda -glutamyl- beta -naphthylamide (3) L-hydroxyproline- beta -naphthylamide (4) L-serine- beta -naphthylamide (5) L-arginine- beta -naphthylamide (6) glycine-glycine- beta -naphthylamide (7) beta -naphthyl-phosphate (8) beta -naphthyl-valerate (9) 4 methoxy leucine- beta -naphthylamide (10) glycine- beta -naphthylamide.