Which medium is primarily used for the selective recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

MTM medium, or Martin-Lewis medium, is specifically designed for the selective isolation and recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. This medium contains antibiotics that inhibit the growth of competing flora, such as Gram-positive bacteria and other Gram-negative bacteria, while allowing the sensitive Neisseria species to grow.

The inclusion of nutrients is tailored to support the fastidious nature of N. gonorrhoeae, which requires specific conditions for growth. This selective advantage is critical since N. gonorrhoeae is often found in environments rich in competing organisms.

Other options, while they may support bacterial growth, do not provide the same level of selectivity needed to isolate N. gonorrhoeae. Blood agar and chocolate agar are useful for cultivating a variety of bacteria but do not selectively inhibit other competing organisms. Nutrient agar serves as a general-purpose growth medium that does not provide the necessary selective properties for isolating specific pathogens like N. gonorrhoeae. Thus, MTM medium is the preferred choice for its ability to selectively recover this particular microorganism.