DETECTION OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN CLINICAL SPECIMENS - COMPARISONOF CULTURE, DIRECT ANTIGEN-DETECTION, DNA-PROBE HYBRIDIZATION AND PCR

Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis by cell culture is labor intensive and depends on the presence of live organisms which limits time and co nditions of transport. Rapid tests that detect either C. trachomatis a ntigen or nucleic acids do not need viable cells but lack sufficient s ensitivity. PCR is the most promising technology as yet but is subject to contamination due to amplicon carry over and it is not practical f or use in diagnostic laboratories. The first commercially available PC R assay, Amplicor, was developed by Roche Molecular Systems. The assay includes UNG sterilization to prevent false positive results due to a mplicon carry over and was designed for use in diagnostic laboratories . We have compared this PCR test with culture, antigen detection (Chla mydiazyme including confirmatory assay, Abbott) and DNA-RNA hybridizat ion (GenProbe PACE 2, Diagnostic Products Corporation) to detect C. tr achomatis in urogenital specimens. It was concluded that Amplicor was the most sensitive and specific assay. The assay appeared rapid, easy to perform and less expensive than culture. We found Amplicor very sui table for use in a clinical diagnostic microbiology laboratory.