The Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea using the BD Viper

Stephen Mortlock - Team Leader Immunology/Serology

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea infections along with many of the other sexually transmitted diseases are becoming more prevalent both here in the UK (see graph) and worldwide. These organisms infect the epithelial cells of the cervixes and urethras of women and the urethras of men and although individuals can often be infected with both organisms the percentage that are expressed as a lower genital tract infection is small. Because of this many infections remain undiagnosed and ultimately untreated, increasing the risk of ascending infections especially in women. Untreated these infections have been linked to development of pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility. Traditional methods of detection have often been hampered by the fastidious nature of the organisms, or unavailability of sensitive culture systems.

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The introduction of nucleic amplification tests for the C. trachomatis and N. gonorrheae has enabled laboratories to introduce assays that do not require viable organisms or difficult culture methods, but relies on the detection of target species-specific sequences of DNA. For the C.trachomatis the assay targets the cryptic plasmid while the N.gonnorrhoea seeks out the pilin-inverting gene. Moreover, these assays can detect one or both organisms if they present in a single sample.

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The Becton Dickinson ProbeTec ET Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea Amplified DNA Assay (BDPT) utilises a novel strand displacement amplification (SDA) method coupled with a fluorescent energy transfer (ET) measurement as the means of detecting the DNA of the organisms in the sample. The added advantage of the system is the ability to use a variety of samples including cervical and urethral swabs to the less invasive first-void urines (FVUs), and now self-taken vaginal swabs.

References:

van der Pol B, Ferrero DV, Buck-Barrington L, Hook E. et al ‘Multicentre evaluation of the BDProbeTec ET System for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae in Urine Specimens, Female Endocervical swabs, and Male urethral swabs.’ J Clin MicroBiol (2001); 39: 1008-1016

Levett PN, Brandt K, Olenius K, Brown C. et al. ‘Evaluation of Three Automated Nucleic Acid Amplification Systems for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae in first-void Urine Specimens.’ J Clin MicroBiol (2008); 46: 2109-2111

Marshall R, Chernesky M, Jang D, Hook EW. et al. ‘Characteristics of the m200 Automated Sample preparation and multiplex real-time PCR System for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae.’ J Clin MicroBiol (2007); 45: 747-751

Test Information

Male & Female Testing

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