Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of gonococcal infections. Gonococci are not able to grow on common blood agar. Most Neisseria strains have complex growth requirements. Some strains may be exquisitely sensitive to fatty acids, necessitating the incorporation of soluble starch in the growth media. For the cultivation of fastidious organisms the medium should be supplemented with essential growth factors; vitamins (vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B12, para-aminobenzoic acid (intermediate in the synthesis of folate by bacteria), coenzymes (NAD), amino acids (glutamine, cysteine, cystine), nucleobases (adenine, guanine) and minerals essential for growth.