[Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction for detection of chlamydia trachomatis in eye swabs].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical value of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of trachoma.


METHODS
Direct amplication of 16S rRNA gene which is chlamydia-specific by PCR was used to detect chlamydia trachomatis (CT).


RESULTS
Of 93 subjects who conformed to the diagnosis criteria of trachoma, 69 (74.2%) was PCR-Positive; Of 178 subjects who did not comform to the criteia, 6(3.4%) was PCR-positive. PCR had a sensitivity of 74.2% and a speciticity of 96.7% for the clinical diagnosis of trachoma. The difference between trachoma group and nontrachoma group is significant(P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The PCR may be a good method in the diagnosis of ocular chlamydia trachomatis infection because of its excellent sensitivity and specificity.
Zou
J
J
Tangdu Hospital, Forth Military Medical University, XiAn 710038, China.
Liu
S
S
Xiao
W
W
Yang
X
X
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014141:Trachoma / Q000382:microbiology*
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S