Commentary
- Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA; smb1@cdc.gov
Technical advances, now permitting use of urine and self collected vaginal specimens, have offered multiple opportunities for screening for chlamydial infection. Screening can be invited and returned by mail using either urine or vaginal swabs1,2 or be provided via internet contact,3 with collection kits mailed or picked up at pharmacies or other locales. Specimens can be obtained in a wide variety of settings besides the clinical care environment—including at home,1,2 at community gatherings,4,5 in detention facilities,6 schools,7 and even from individuals who are accessed in street settings by outreach workers.8,9 It seems the possibilities are limited only by the imagination of the researcher. However, all too often there has been little “head to head” comparison of such approaches, …
