rss
Sex Transm Infect 2008;84:277-278 doi:10.1136/sti.2007.029587
  • Basic science

Validation of COBAS Taqman CT for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in vulvo-vaginal swabs

  1. S Skidmore,
  2. M Kaye,
  3. D Bayliss,
  4. S Devendra
  1. Departments of Microbiology and Genitourinary Medicine, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Telford, UK
  1. Dr Sue Skidmore, Department of Microbiology, Princess Royal Hospital, Telford TF1 1TF, UK; sue.skidmore{at}sath.nhs.uk
  • Accepted 14 February 2008
  • Published Online First 27 February 2008

Abstract

Background: Vulvo-vaginal swabs (VVSs) are not validated for use by the manufacturers of two widely used nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. However, there is evidence that this type of swab is suitable for diagnosis.

Objective: To validate the Cobas Taqman CT assay for the detection of C trachomatis in VVS.

Method: Women aged 18–24 years attending a genitourinary medicine clinic were invited to take part in the study. Participants provided a self-taken VVS and the results obtained with these samples were compared with those obtained with an endocervical swab collected by a healthcare worker. A total of 267 women took part.

Results: 255/267 (96%; 95% CI 92 to 98%) sets of samples gave concordant results. 12/267 (4.5%) VVSs were invalid/inhibitory and so no result was available for these samples. This compared with 2/267 (0.7%) for endocervical swabs.

Conclusion: VVS are suitable samples for detecting C trachomatis.

Footnotes

  • Contributors: SS and MK wrote the protocol and obtained ethics approval. DB and SD recruited patients. All contributed to the preparation of the manuscript.

  • Competing interests: None.

  • Ethics approval: Ethics approval was obtained.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. sti.2007.029587v1
    2. 84/4/277 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.