Techniques of testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
Adolescent and young adult women are the highest-risk group for nearly all sexually transmitted infections. This article reviews diagnostic methods for the most common bacterial and viral sexually transmitted infections, with special attention to the use of nucleic acid amplification methods, as well as the utilization of nontraditional clinical specimens. These new modalities should help the care provider identify and manage the large asymptomatic pool of infected patients, and further lower the prevalence and burden of infection.
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology