Provision of a chlamydial culture service to a sexually transmitted diseases clinic.
Urethral specimens from 215 men were inoculated on to McCoy cell cultures, both at the local laboratory and at a central reference laboratory, Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 58 (28%) patients; 12 of these isolates were, however, obtained only at the local laboratory. The results show the feasibility and convenience of a central laboratory supplying a peripheral laboratory with uninoculated prepared cell cultures. Such a service is not only more cost effective but obviates the problems of transporting specimens to a central laboratory.
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014521:Urethra / Q000382:microbiology*; D014526:Urethritis / Q000382:microbiology