TY - JOUR T1 - Response to ‘Comparative performance of culture using swabs transported in Amies medium and the Aptima Combo 2 nucleic acid amplification test in detection of <em>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</em> from genital and extra-genital sites: a retrospective study’ JF - Sexually Transmitted Infections JO - Sex Transm Infect SP - 211 LP - 211 DO - 10.1136/sextrans-2011-050424 VL - 88 IS - 3 AU - Mrinalini Mahto AU - Harry Mallinson Y1 - 2012/04/01 UR - http://sti.bmj.com/content/88/3/211.abstract N2 - The recent article in Sexually Transmitted Infections by Harryman et al1 assessed the performance of Aptima Combo 2 (AC2) confirmed by Aptima GC (AGC) versus culture and concluded that AC2 with AGC confirmation performed well at genital and extra-genital sites for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC). Culture with transport swabs was found to perform poorly for asymptomatic men, symptomatic and asymptomatic women and at extra-genital sites. The authors conclude that consideration should be given on how best to optimise GC culture in settings where direct plating is not feasible.We strongly agree with them and are pleased to find the accumulating evidence for the … ER -