COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF CHLAMYDIAZYME, PACE-2, AND AMP-CT ASSAYS FOR DETECTION OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN ENDOCERVICAL SPECIMENS

We conducted a comparative evaluation of the Chlamydiazyme (Abbott Lab oratories), PACE 2 (Gen-Probe) and AMP-CT (Gen-Probe) assays for the d etection of Chlamydia trachomatis in endocervical samples. Specimens f rom 787 females were included in the study. The sensitivities of the P ACE 2 and Chlamydiazyme assays in comparison to the results of the AMP -CT assay were 79.3 and 63.4%, respectively. The specificities of the Chlamydiazyme and PACE 2 assays were 100%. All of the positive specime ns detected in this study were positive by the AMP-CT assay, On the ba sis of the final results of the comparison, the prevalence of C. trach omatis in the population was 10.4%. Retesting of specimens whose resul ts were in the intermediate zone by the PACE 2 assay by a probe compet ition assay identified some additional true positive specimens. Amplif ication assay testing of such specimens did not significantly increase the yield. The majority of specimens which tested positive by the AR IP CT assay only were not in the intermediate zone by the PACE 2 assay , We were unable to identify demographic or clinical factors which cou ld predict those Individuals who tested positive by amplified tests bu t not by nonamplified tests, The Gen-Probe PACE 2 assay proved to be s uperior to the Chlamydiazyme assay for the screening and diagnosis of C, trachomatis infections in female endocervical specimens.