Despite emergent molecular diagnostics, culture recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) remains important for the diagnosis of gonorrhoea, as well as for susceptibility and epidemiological study. Although inoculation of bacteriological media in clinic is optimal, it can prove impractical, or impossible, in some healthcare settings. Further, any healthcare strategy that distances patient testing from diagnostic laboratories reinforces the need for transport media.

Many users assume that commercial transport systems offer comparable performance characteristics, so cost alone may influence choice. However, a proposed NCCLS standard for transport media (M40)¹ is likely to confirm significant variations in performance, both between and within different manufacturers’ products. Similarly, little attention …