title: Direct Diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis Infection on Archived Pap Smears Using Nested PCR.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little information is available concerning PCR-based direct detection of Trichomonas infections on archived Pap (Papanicolaou)-stained smears. This study investigates DNA extraction and amplification from archived Pap smears. Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan that infects the urogenital tract of women.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA from archived Pap-stained smears was successfully amplified using the nested PCR to investigate if it could be used for accurate detection and retrospective epidemiological investigations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, 98 (75.4%) out of 130 specimens of T. vaginalis Pap-stained smears were found to be positive by the nested PCR. Also, direct PCR on the archived Pap smears for identifying T. vaginalis gave a specificity of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCR-based Pap smears appear to offer an effective method to detect Trichomonas infection in archived samples, being rapid, highly specific and convenient for sampling, particularly in retrospective investigations.
authors: Invasive Fungi Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Hajar
authors: H
authors: Ziaei Hezarjaribi
authors: Mahbobeh
authors: M
authors: Taghavi
authors: Mahdi
authors: M
authors: Fakhar
authors: Shirzad
authors: S
authors: Gholami
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan