COMPARISON OF AN AUTOMATED ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY WITH A DIRECT FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY TEST AND POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION FOR THE DETECTION OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN DIAGNOSTIC SPECIMENS FROM MALE-PATIENTS

Endourethral swabs and first-pass urine (FPU) samples from 148 male pa tients were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis by an automated enzyme im munoassay (EIA) (Vidas; bioMerieux, France), a direct fluorescent anti body (DFA) test (MicroTrak; Syva, USA) and two polymerase chain reacti on (PCR) methods. Chlamydia trachomatis was considered present if a sp ecimen was positive by at least two methods. This expanded criterion i dentified 27 patients (18%) as truly infected. One of the PCR methods was most sensitive for both types of specimen. When the recommended cu t-off value of Vidas was reduced by 50%, its sensitivity on endourethr al swabs was comparable to that of the DFA test, but the DFA test perf ormed better with FPU. In general, FPU was suitable only for PCR.