Vaginal tampons as specimen collection device for the molecular diagnosis of non-ulcerative sexually transmitted infections in antenatal clinic attendees.
Self-inserted vaginal tampons for the molecular diagnosis of non-ulcerative STIs were evaluated. Cervical and vaginal swabs, tampons and urines were collected from 185 first-time antenatal clinic attendees. Cultures and nucleic acid amplification assays (NAA) were performed. The sensitivity of PCR on tampons for Trichomonas vaginalis was with 94% (CI 85-98%) significantly higher (P<0.001) than culture (50%, CI 38-62%) or urine (53%, CI 41-65%). Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture had a sensitivity of 64% (CI 36-86%), strand displacement assay (SDA) had a sensitivity of 79% (CI 49-94%) using tampon specimens, 57% (CI 30-81%) using endocervical swabs and 43% (CI 19-70%) using urines. There was no difference in sensitivity of SDA for Chlamydia trachomatis using tampon specimens, urine or endocervical swabs. The specificity approached 100% for all assays on all specimens. NAA on tampons for the detection of T. vaginalis, N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis identified more infections than assays on swabs or urines. This reached statistical significance for T. vaginalis only.
Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, Mtubatuba, South Africa.
P D J
PD
Sturm
Cathy
C
Connolly
Nasreen
N
Khan
Safiya
S
Ebrahim
A Willem
AW
Sturm
D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000818:Animals; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003469:Culture; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D052576:Menstrual Hygiene Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards*
D017931:DNA Primers