New York City agar was developed for the isolation of which organism?

• A. Bordetella pertussis
• B. Campylobacter fetus
• C. Haemophilus influenzae
• D. Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Answer: (D)

New York City agar is a selective medium developed to isolate Neisseria gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens. It provides a growth environment that favors gonococcus while suppressing competing flora, making recovery from samples like urethral, cervical, or throat swabs more reliable. This specialty medium is used specifically for gonorrhea culture because N. gonorrhoeae is fastidious and can be outcompeted by normal flora on routine media. Other listed organisms require different, organism-specific media and conditions (for example, Bordetella pertussis on Bordet-Gengou or Regan-Lowe, Haemophilus influenzae on chocolate with X and V factors, Campylobacter species under microaerophilic conditions with selective supplements).