Cefmetazole and trospectomycin were tested in a multilaboratory trial to establish Neisseria gonorrhoeae susceptibility testing criteria and quality control (QC) guidelines. Cefmetazole was active against the penicillinase-producing isolates and has an MIC90 of 16 micrograms/ml, the breakpoint MIC previously used for nonfastidious species. However, a single-dose gonorrhea regimen (1 g i.m.) would require a lower less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml breakpoint with a correlate zone (greater than or equal to 33 mm) consistent with similarly used cephamycins (cefoxitin and cefotetan). An intermediate category was proposed for MICs greater than 2-4 micrograms/m (28-32 mm) pending more clinical experience with higher and/or prolonged cefmetazole dosing regimens. Trospectomycin was active (MIC90, 8 micrograms/ml) against all spectinomycin-susceptible gonococci. A susceptible breakpoint MIC of less than or equal to 16 micrograms trospectomycin per milliliter was proposed with a correlate zone diameter of greater than or equal to 17 mm. An intermediate category was also suggested for trospectomycin at 32 micrograms/ml (14-16 mm). QC guidelines were established for 30-micrograms cefmetazole and 30-micrograms trospectomycin disk diffusion tests and the GC agar base MICs using a multilaboratory study design consistent with National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) M23-T guidelines. Both drugs were stable in GC agar plates for 21 days stored at 2 degrees-5 degrees C.