Polymerase Chain Reaction as a Diagnostic Tool for Six Sexually Transmitted Infections - Preliminary Results

Abstract

Background and aimSexually transmitted infections are a very frequent and under-diagnosed cause of illness worldwide. A high number of detection methods and a large range of specimens in which sexually transmitted infections can be determined are available at the moment. Polymerase chain reaction performed on first void urine offers the advantage of being non-invasive, self-collectable and has high sensitivity and specificity. We looked to determine the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma urealyticum in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.MethodsSix sexually transmitted infections were determined in the first void urine of 15 symptomatic and asymptomatic patients by polymerase chain reaction. We used “Epicenter MasterPure™ Complete DNA and RNA Purification Kit” for the DNA purification and “Seeplex® STD6 ACE Detection” for the DNA amplification. The results were examined in UV light.ResultsA number of 5 patients had positive results for Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Sexually transmitted infections are more frequent in men between 27 and 40 years old.ConclusionsPolymerase chain reaction is a good diagnostic tool for sexually transmitted infections because it has a high sensitivity and specificity. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most frequent sexually transmitted infection, followed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Evaluating the utility of the Allplex STI Essential Assay to determine the occurrence of urogenital sexually transmitted infections among symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in Cape Town, South Africa

“…Considering the debatable role of some of the STI organisms in infection, they may be considered for secondary testing in persistent infections, following negative screening for primary STI pathogens, as is recommended in several countries [ 30 ]. The added value of a multiplex molecular assay for selected STI organisms, especially in a resource limited setting, would significantly improve the current detection rates and result time [ 31 , 32 ].…”

Molecular Point‐of‐Care Assay Development: Design and Considerations

“…The results obtained in their study indicated that PCR provides a higher sensitivity and specificity for the detection of the pathogens (culture sensitivity, 71%; PCR sensitivity, 81%; culture specificity, 83%; PCR specificity, 90%) (van der Zee et al, 2016). Similarly, Grad et al (2015), in their study regarding the most common STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma urealyticum) discovered that PCR conveys a higher sensitivity and specificity for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients compared to previous diagnostic tests. It should be noted that PCR represents a more rapid diagnostic test for urine samples and provides the advantages of self-collection and being non-invasive (Grad et al, 2015).…”

“…(2015), in their study regarding the most common STIs ( Chlamydia trachomatis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Trichomonas vaginalis , Mycoplasma hominis , Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma urealyticum ) discovered that PCR conveys a higher sensitivity and specificity for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients compared to previous diagnostic tests. It should be noted that PCR represents a more rapid diagnostic test for urine samples and provides the advantages of self‐collection and being non‐invasive (Grad et al., 2015). Methods known to be developed for PCR applications have a high likelihood of working for other amplification methods but may need to be tested to ensure compatibility.…”

Going Off-Script: Dilemmas in the Evaluation and Treatment of Syphilis in Four Patients

“…Instead, serological tests that show indirect evidence of infection are commonly used for diagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the laboratory technique of first amplifying DNA segments to better detect them, is of increasing interest in the diagnosis of various sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhea (GC), chlamydia (CT), and HIV [14,15]. However, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved clinical diagnostic PCR assays for syphilis, and therefore they are not yet available to all clinicians or practice settings [16].…”