PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Dan Jang
AU  - Jodi Gilchrist
AU  - Eder Portillo
AU  - Marek Smieja
AU  - Ramandeep Toor
AU  - Max Chernesky
TI  - Comparison of dacron and nylon-flocked self-collected vaginal swabs and urine for the detection of <em>Trichomonas vaginalis</em> using analyte-specific reagents in a transcription-mediated amplification assay
AID  - 10.1136/sextrans-2011-050084
DP  - 2012 Apr 01
TA  - Sexually Transmitted Infections
PG  - 160--162
VI  - 88
IP  - 3
4099  - http://sti.bmj.com/content/88/3/160.short
4100  - http://sti.bmj.com/content/88/3/160.full
SO  - Sex Transm Infect2012 Apr 01; 88
AB  - Objectives To compare self-collected vaginal swab (SCVS) types and first-catch urine (FCU) to diagnose Trichomonas vaginalis using analyte-specific reagents designed to be used in a transcription-mediated amplification assay.Methods A total of 241 women (group A) collected a FCU and a SCVS using a dacron swab (APTIMA collection kit). A second group of 289 women (group B) collected two SCVS using one dacron swab and one nylon-flocked swab.Results Of 75 young women (street youth) determined to be infected with T vaginalis only seven reported symptoms of vaginal discharge or irritation. Using a cutoff of 50 000 relative light units, the sensitivity and specificity was 97.2% and 97.6%, respectively for dacron SCVS compared with 41.7% and 100% for FCU in group A; 92.3% and 98.8% for dacron SCVS and 92.3% and 99.2% for flocked-nylon SCVS in group B. The assay tested 96 samples in 6 h.Conclusions Dacron and nylon-flocked SCVS performed equally well and significantly better than FCU using analyte-specific reagents in the APTIMA transcription-mediated amplification assay. Either swab type could be used for self-collection.