Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 1994 Jun;70(3):162-6.
doi: 10.1136/sti.70.3.162.

Evaluation of the Amplicor Chlamydia trachomatis test versus culture in genital samples in various prevalence populations

B de Barbeyrac  1 , I Pellet, B Dutilh, C Bébéar, B Dumon, M Géniaux, C Bébéar
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Evaluation of the Amplicor Chlamydia trachomatis test versus culture in genital samples in various prevalence populations

B de Barbeyrac et al. Genitourin Med. 1994 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate a newly developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, Amplicor C trachomatis for the detection of C trachomatis in genital samples using cell culture for comparison.

Subjects: 501 patients (431 women and 70 men) attending an STD clinic in Hôpital Pellegrin (high-risk population) and gynaecological clinics (low-risk population) in Bordeaux, France.

Methods: The genital samples (cervical and urethral) were tested for the presence of C trachomatis using the Amplicor test and using standard cell culture identified by the immunofluorescence test using a monoclonal antibody to C trachomatis. Discrepancies between the results of culture and Amplicor were further analysed by major outer membrane protein gene (omp1)-PCR of the specimens taken in transport media and by direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) staining of elementary bodies in culture transport tubes.

Results: After analysis of discrepancies, the revised sensitivity and specificity of PCR were 95.3% and 100% and the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 99.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: The present results indicate that the Amplicor assay is rapid, specific and more sensitive than the culture method. This test provides an excellent non-culture method for the detection of C trachomatis in various prevalence populations.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mol Cell Probes. 1992 Oct;6(5):381-8 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Nov;30(11):2847-51 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Microbiol. 1993 May;31(5):1103-7 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Microbiol. 1993 May;31(5):1209-12 - PubMed
    1. N Engl J Med. 1966 May 26;274(21):1171-3 - PubMed

Publication types