title: Comparison of self-collected meatal swabs with urine specimens for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) are common bacterial causes of sexually transmitted infections. Self-taken meatal swabs are a possible alternative to urine samples in testing for infection; however, the data surrounding their use are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a prospective service review in a large sexual health clinic comparing urine samples and self-taken meatal swabs in men presenting for sexual transmissible infection screening for CT and GC with the BD Viper XTR system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found an overall prevalence of 10.5 % for CT infections and 4.2 % for GC infections in our patient population. Meatal swab testing had a sensitivity and specificity of 91 and 99 % with an negative predictive value (NPV) of 99 % and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96 % for CT testing compared to a sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 99 % with an NPV of 100 % and a PPV of 98 % for urine samples. The sensitivity and specificity of meatal swabs was 100 and 99 %, respectively, for GC detection with an NPV of 100 % and PPV of 89 % compared to urine which had 93 % sensitivity and 99 % specificity with an NPV and PPV of 99 and 93 %, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meatal samples were not inferior to urine samples for the detection of CT and GC. Male urethral meatal self-sampling offers an alternative sample type when compared to male urine specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Molecular Pathology, Coventry and Warwickshire Pathology Services, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Integrated Sexual Health Services, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, City of Coventry Health Centre, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS, UK.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stanley
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000652:urine; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D014521:Urethra / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial