title: Reduced detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by the ligase chain reaction assay due to suboptimal storage of urine.
abstract: Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by the ligase chain reaction assay was assessed in urine samples that had been stored at 4 degrees C and at ambient temperature for 6-10 days before testing. Six of 67 (9%) ligase chain reaction-positive urine samples stored at 4 degrees C and 5 of 29 (17%) stored at ambient temperature became negative, a difference that is not statistically significant. Most of the urine samples that were negative after storage contained a small number of chlamydial elementary bodies, and almost three-quarters of them were from women. Optimal pretest storage conditions for urine samples should be maintained if the maximum benefit is to be obtained from this highly sensitive assay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's, Paddington, London, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pierpoint
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor-Robinson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renton
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022521:Ligase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013696:Temperature; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology*