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“Pathology that Adds Value”
THE PATHCARE NEWS
STI PCR
RAPID DETECTION OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
INFECTIONS (STI'S)
Diagnostics is the key to treatment and prevention of STIs due
to the identification of infected people. STIs are often
asymptomatic or cause non-specific symptoms and are known
to increase the infectiousness of HIV. The syndromic
management approach misses infections that do not
demonstrate clear symptoms. Up to 70% of men and women
with gonococcal and/or chlamydial infections may be
symptom free. Screening is crucial as it allows the
identification of the causative pathogens/co-pathogens and
the prescription of appropriate antibiotics.
PathCare offers real-time PCR assays for
screening and diagnosing STIs with the
following benefits:
• Multiplex-based: simultaneous detection of several
microorganisms (incl. fastidious organisms) with high
sensitivity and specificity
• Cost effective diagnostics with rapid results
• No stringent specimen transport requirements needed
PCR requested
Specimen type
C. trachomatis +
N. gonorrhoeae only
Urine, urethral/
cervical swabs
Extended STI PCR
Urine, urethral/
cervical swabs,
liquid based cytology
specimen
Pathogens detected
C. trachomatis
N. gonorrhoeae
T. vaginalis
M. genitalium
M. hominis
U. urealyticum
U. parvum
PathCare also offers a Genital Ulcer Diseases Screen which
includes molecular detection of Herpes simplex virus types 1
+ 2, Haemophilus ducreyi (chancroid) on swabs/aspirates and
serological testing for syphilis.
1. C. trachomatis is the most common sexually
transmitted bacterial agent. In women, it causes
cervicitis, urethritis, endometritis and salpingitis. A prolonged infection may result in tubal scarring, infertility
and ectopic pregnancies.
2. If left untreated, N. gonorrhoeae infection may
develop into vulvovaginitis and pelvic inflammatory
disease.
3. As a protozoan parasite, T. vaginalis is the causative
agent of trichomoniasis causing vaginitis, cervicitis and
urethritis in women.
4. M. genitalium has been recognized as a pathogen of
acute & chronic urethritis in males. Also reportedly
associated with female cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory
disease.
5. M. hominis acts as a pathogen in 5% of upper urinary
tracts of patients with acute pyelonephritis, and acts as a
co-factor of bacterial vaginosis.
6. U. urealyticum is a reported pathogen of male
urethritis and is known to cause infertility by affecting
sperm quality.*
7. U. parvum is reportedly associated with
chorioamnionitis, fetal morbidity and fetal mortality in
pregnant women, but its role as an STI pathogen is
unclear.*
*The discrimination of U. urealyticum + U. parvum is important
because unnecessary treatment might be carried out if U. parvum (most
of which are colonized as commensals) is mistakenly considered to
be U. urealyticum. This PCR is useful for discriminating between
these species.
References:
1. World Health Organization, Department of Reproductive Health and Research.
Global incidence and prevalence of selected curable sexually transmitted
infections—2008. Geneva: WHO; 2012. Available at:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/75181/1/9789241503839_eng.pdf
2. Y. Kim et al. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among healthy Korean
women: Implications of multiplex PCR pathogen detection on antibiotic therapy. J
Infect Chemother 20 (2014) 74e76
Compiled by: Dr Catherine Samuel, Clinical Microbiologist, PathCare
Tel: 021 596 3400
January 2015
3. H.-S. Choe et al. Performance of AnyplexTM II multiplex real-time PCR for the
diagnosis of seven sexually transmitted infections: comparison with currently available
methods. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 17 (2013) e1134–e1140
[email protected]
www.pathcare.co.za