COMPARISON OF THE SYVA MICROTRAK ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY AND ABBOTT CHLAMYDIAZYME IN THE DETECTION OF CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS IN WOMEN

An enzyme immunoassay for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen, Syva Microtrak, was compared with Abbott Chlamydiazyme to evaluate the performance of the Microtrak assay in the diagnosis of chlamydial gen ital tract infection in women. Duplicate endocervical swabs from 550 w omen were tested by both methods, and discrepancies were resolved by d irect immunofluorescence on pelleted material from the collection tube s. Forty-six specimens were positive by the Syva Microtrak assay (reso lved sensitivity, 95%), and 34 specimens were positive by the Chlamydi azyme assay (resolved sensitivity, 79%). The results from this small s tudy suggest that the Syva Microtrak enzyme immunoassay is more sensit ive than Chlamydiazyme for the detection of chlamydial antigen in endo cervical specimens. This test should be useful for the diagnosis of ch lamydial genital tract infection in females.