Background Urine specimen collection is better accepted by the patients than invasive collection techniques for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Self-collection is useful for Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) screening programs. Dedicated urine collection devices for molecular assay are unsuitable for other molecular assays and for bacteria culture investigation. Urine collection devices that are easy to collect and transport and are leak proof, that can be used for STD screening by culture and molecular assays are essential. Copan has introduced the UriSwab (US), that consists of a leak proof tube with a screw cap containing a plastic stick with sponges attached that absorb and retain the urine sample during transport while preventing bacterial overgrowth. The objective of this study was to compare the Copan UriSwab for collection, transportation and preservation of first catch urine (FCU) specimens to the BD ProbeTec Urine Preservative Transport Kit (UPT) for the detection of CT and NG with the BD ProbeTec assay.

Method FCU specimens were self-collected from 134 male patients attending an STD clinic or who were residents of a detenction center in the Italian city of Asti. Duplicate FCU specimens were collected, one with the US and the other with the UPT. The US specimens were centrifuged and the urine pellets were eluted with ProbeTec lysis buffer. US and UPT urine specimens were processed according to the manufacturer's recommended procedure with the BD ProbeTec ET assay (Becton Dickinson).

Results Out of 134 males from the detention center and the STD clinic, 115 were negative and 19 positive for either CT or NG in both US and UPT collection devices. Five patients were positive for both CT and GC. The CT prevalence was 8.2 %. The NG prevalence was 10.44%.

Conclusions Good results agreement was found between the Copan UriSwab and the BD urine collection devices for the detection of CT and GC with the BD ProbeTec ET assay. The UriSwab is easy to transport and process in the laboratory for the detection of CT, GC and other STI infectious agents with molecular assays and can also be used for culturing all urogenital bacteria. The UriSwab can facilitate self-collection for STI screening.