title: Trichomonas vaginalis detection using real-time TaqMan PCR.
abstract: 1978 women and 93 men, all suspected of having a Trichomonas vaginalis infection, were tested for the presence of T. vaginalis by real-time PCR using the T. vaginalis-specific 2-kb repeated sequence, and by direct microscopy and culture. 40 samples were positive by T. vaginalis real-time PCR and 27 were positive by wet mount microscopy, either direct or after culture. All samples positive by direct microscopy of culture were also positive by real-time PCR. Of the 13 samples which were real-time PCR positive but negative by direct microscopy and culture 11 were confirmed by another T. vaginalis real-time PCR based on the beta tubulin gene. Only 2 samples (0.1%) showed inhibition in the PCR. The prevalence of T. vaginalis infection in the female patients was 1.8%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the real-time PCR were 100%, 99.9%, 95% and 100%, respectively. The same test characteristics for the combined conventional T. vaginalis detection methods (microscopy+culture) were 71%, 100%, 100% and 99%, respectively. Therefore, real-time PCR is the method of choice for the diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, van Ketwich Verschuurlaan 92, 9721 SW Groningen, The Netherlands. j.schirm@infectielab.nl
authors.forename: Jurjen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schirm
authors.forename: Petra A J
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Irene K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Roozeboom-Roelfsema
authors.forename: Dirk S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Luijt
authors.forename: Lieke V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000469:parasitology*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D014404:Tubulin