title: Chlamydiazyme plus blocking assay to detect Chlamydia trachomatis in endocervical specimens.
abstract: Three methods to detect Chlamydia trachomatis in endocervical swab specimens collected from 502 women with genitourinary or abdominopelvic symptoms were evaluated: (1) a direct immunofluorescence assay, (2) an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, confirming positive samples with a blocking assay, and (3) conventional tissue cell culture. C. trachomatis was detected by at least one method in 72 specimens, of which 56 (11%) were determined to be true-positive results by repeated testing and by performing a confirmatory assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 91%, 100%, 100%, and 99%, respectively, for culture and the enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay plus blocking assay and 74%, 98%, 83%, and 96%, respectively, for the direct immunofluorescence assay. In this population of women, using the enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay with the confirmatory assay is a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective alternative to culture for diagnosing infection with C. trachomatis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-3135.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sitorius
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides