Patient-Administered Tampon-Collected Genital Cells in the Assessment of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Using Polymerase Chain Reaction

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background: Diagnosis of genitalChlamydia trachomatisinfection in women traditionally requires a speculum examination to collect endocervical cells, followed by cell culture. This method is time consuming, requires stringent transport conditions, and is technically demanding. Goals: To compare tampons as a patient-administered collection method followed by detection with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the traditional endocervical swab culture followed by cell culture detection. Study Design: At the emergency department of a hospital for obstetrics and gynecology, 1,000 consecutive women with symptoms suggestive of infection withC. trachomatiswere tested forC. trachomatisinfection by PCR on both tampon (PCR-T) and swab (PCR-S) specimen and by culture of the swab specimen. Results: Seventeen PCR-T and 16 PCR-S specimens were positive; 16 endocervical specimens were positive by culture, and 14 of the endocervical samples were positive by the three methods. Sixty-one PCR-S samples were inadequate as shown by the lack of amplification of the β-globin gene segment, indicating poor collection of specimens by endocervical swab for chlamydial testing. Conclusions: Tampon specimens collected for PCR detection provided an easy and sensitive method of detection ofC. trachomatisand overcame the obstacle of endocervical sampling and subsequent stringent transport requirements of culture.