Patent Number: 039742695
Section: summary

RELATED APPLICATION This application relates to improvements in the methods of detection disclosed in copending and commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 385,863 filed on Aug. 6, 1973, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to methods for screening large number of persons for current or past gonorrhea infection. Gonorrhea is one of the most commonly reported bacterial diseases in man and its persistence as a major health problem has intensified the search for new and better methods of detection. The present mass screening method is a bacteriological method which requires two to seven days for completion. Moreover, it requires that a specimen of the gonorrhea caused discharge arrive at the testing laboratory with the fragile gonococcus organism still viable, a natural time limit of as little as two days. In the above identified patent application, a novel serological method for detecting antibodies in sera is described. The method is generally based on the discovery and isolation of a heat labile antigen produced by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N.g.) organisms. This antigen does not react with cross reacting antibodies which may also be present in the sera, with the result that the number of false positive reactions which have reduced the value of previously employed serological procedures is substantially reduced. In accordance with the several detection methods described and claimed in the application, the antigens are caused to react with the antibody and the presence of the resulting complex is determined. In the principal methods described, the complex is caused to react with a labelled anti-human immunoglobulin G. The immunoglobulin is labelled with a fluorescent compound, a radioactive element, or an enzyme. The label is then detected by suitable procedures such as radioactive counting. The optimum sources of the antigen are growth cultures of Neisseria gonorrhoeae ATCC 21823 (B-585), 21824 (B-370) and 21825 (B-1094), although a number of N.g. microorganisms will also serve as antigen sources. Order: Eubacteriales Family: Neissericeae Genus: Neisseria Species: Gonorrhoeae Morphology: Gram negative spherical or bean shaped diplococci with adjacent sides flattened usually 0.6 .times. 1.0 .mu. and more uniform in size. Biochemical and Cultural: Aerobic, optimal growth requires 4 - 10% CO.sub.2 and incubation at 36.degree.C. The cultures grow slowly on chocolate agar producing small barely visible colonies after 24 hours (0.1 mm in diameter) with typical morphology seen on 48-72 hours cultures. The colonies are small 1.0 mm in diameter, gray white, transparent, smooth, with round entire edge, glistening surface and butyrous consistency. B-1094 produced slightly larger colonies and grows more rapidly. Oxidase +, catalase +; ferments glucose but not maltose, lactose or sucrose. Antigenicity: All three isolates share common antigens which is heat labile "L". Virulence: All three strains were originally isolated from patients with symptomatic gonorrhea. A novel radioimmunoassay technique has now been discovered which makes possible the detection of the antigen-antibody conjugate in a facile manner.