INTERFERENCE OF NEISSERIA-GONORRHOEAE GROWTH BY AEROBIC BACTERIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UROGENITAL FLORA

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (4) , 201-208
Abstract
Aerobic bacterial isolates obtained from endocervical, vaginal and urethral swabbings from humans were tested for interference of N. gonorrhoeae growth on solid medium. Simultaneous antagonism was studied using the lawn spotting method, and delayed antagonism by the basal spot/lawn method. From 58 swabbbings, 181 isolates were recovered; 71 of these interfered with at least 1 of 4 gonococcal strains (G-1, G-2, G-3 and G-4). Similar percentages of interfering isolates were obtained from each of the isolation sites. Similar numbers of coagulase-negative staphylococci and identical numbers of group D streptococci were recovered from each of these sites. The majority of the interfering isolates and of the inhibitory coagulase-negative staphylococci showed only simultaneous antagonism. To complete the interference spectrum, all the active urogenital isolates were tested against 4 other gonococcal strains (G-7, G-9, G-10 and G-11). This spectrum showed clearly that interference is not an all or none phenomenon. While the gonococcal interference spectrum of most of the gram-positive cocci and the Acinetobacter sp. strains is broad, that of all other isolates is relatively narrow. Gonococcal strains G-7 and G-9 were the most susceptible to inhibition by the interfering urogenital isolates; strain G-3 was the most resistant one.