Gonorrhea screening. Comparison of three techniques.
A total of 1,336 men were screened for gonococcal urethritis by one or more of three techniques: Gram-stain smears, urethral cultures, and cultures of first-voided urine (FVU). The sensitivity of these techniques in a group of 113 symptomatic patients was 99.1%, 98.2%, and 95.6%, respectively. In a group of 248 asymptomatic men, FVU cultures yielded a positivity rate of 2.4%, comparable to the 2.8% obtained with urethral cultures. In view of the reduction in time, cost, and patient discomfort associated with the use of FVU cultures, it appears to be a valuable diagnostic technique for asymptomatic gonococcal urethritis.
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014521:Urethra / Q000382:microbiology; D014526:Urethritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology