Preferred Specimen(s) Urethral swab/ vaginal discharge/ Throat swab
Instructions Collect with sterile swab
Transport Container Stuart Medium tube with swab
Transport Temperature Room temperature 10 days for dried smear, 2 days for specimen swab
Reject Criteria
- Incorrect labeling,
- insufficient sample
- spoiled sample;
- frozen
Methodology Microscopic Examination
Clinical Significance: A GC smear (gonococcus smear) is a gram stain of urethral exudates in men and endocervical secretions in women and can be part of a presumptive diagnosis of gonorrhea. One looks for gram-negative diplococci with flattened adjacent walls that are seen both inside and outside of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This test is quite sensitive in symptomatic males but only 40-60% sensitive in symptomatic females. In asymptomatic males and females the gram stain has a lower predictive value.