Determining the sensitivity of Chlamydia trachomatis testing on mid-stream urine samples
Investigators
- Assoc Prof D Mangin (Richards) [Dept of General Practice]
- Prof L Toop [Dept of General Practice]
- Prof S Chambers [Dept of Infectious Diseases]
One of the difficulties in testing for Chlamydia trachomatis in women presenting to primary care with dysuria and frequency is that a different specimen type is required from that used to diagnose urinary tract infection - an FVU rather than an MSU.
If PCR testing for C. trachomatis were sensitive enough to use on a standard MSU sample it would be possible to avoid having to recall the patient to provide a second specimen. This would greatly facilitate the diagnosis and thereby treatment of C. trachomatis.
The aim of this study is to determine whether the sensitivity of C. trachomatis testing on a midstream urine (MSU) and first void urine (FVU) specimens is equivalent. For this study, paired urine specimens (FVU and MSU) from known chlamydia positive women are tested using the current gold standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.
This research started in 2006.
Funded by
University of Otago