Chlamydia trachomatis reinfection rates among female adolescents seeking rescreening in school-based health centers.

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections are common among adolescents attending high and middle schools. The study objective was to determine the reinfection rates of CT for females attending school-based health centers.

Methods: Adolescents attending school-based health centers who reported they were sexually active were screened for CT using nucleic acid amplification tests on cervical or urine samples.

The microbicide tenofovir does not inhibit nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urine samples.

The potential inhibitory effects of tenofovir and a placebo were examined using the Becton Dickinson ProbeTec, Gen-Probe Aptima Combo 2, and Roche Amplicor tests to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Concentrations of 5% to 0% of tenofovir and the placebo were added to dilutions of C. trachomatis and N.

Comparison of the urine Leukocyte Esterase Test to a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test for screening non-health care-seeking male soldiers for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.

We evaluated the Leukocyte Esterase Test (LET) as a screening tool by testing urine from 1,438 non-health care-seeking male Army basic trainees with LET and a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test. Compared to Nucleic Acid Amplification Test results, LET sensitivity and specificity for detection of chlamydia and gonorrhea were 45.8% and 97.

Can nucleic acid amplification tests be used to test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in microbicide trials?

Microbicides may interfere with detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) in urine samples from women who use microbicides. The inhibitory effects of BufferGel, PRO2000 and PRO2000 placebo, in urine samples, were determined by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Uninfected urine was inoculated with different concentrations (10(5)-10(1) organisms/mL); microbicides were added to achieve final concentrations from 5% to 0.

The use of focus groups to design an internet-based program for chlamydia screening with self-administered vaginal swabs: what women want.

Objective: To ascertain the opinions, concerns and perceptions of sexually active women to guide the development of an internet-based chlamydia outreach and screening program using self-administered vaginal swabs as a first step to prevention.

Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted by trained facilitators. Questions were designed to initially open the discussion and elicit the members' own perceptions.

Comparison between the Gen-Probe transcription-mediated amplification Trichomonas vaginalis research assay and real-time PCR for Trichomonas vaginalis detection using a Roche LightCycler instrument with female self-obtained vaginal swab samples and male urine samples.

This study compared two assays for Trichomonas vaginalis detection, Gen-Probe's transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay for Trichomonas vaginalis and BTUB FRET PCR, using self-obtained clinical samples from 611 patients. Infection status was defined as two positive results by two different tests. The initial TMA assay sensitivity was 96.

Internet-based screening for Chlamydia trachomatis to reach non-clinic populations with mailed self-administered vaginal swabs.

Background: Testing for Chlamydia trachomatis by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) using self-collected vaginal swabs (VS) is acceptable and accurate. The objectives were to implement an educational Internet-based program for women to facilitate home screening, to determine whether women would request and use self-collected VS kits, to determine associated risk factors for infection, and to determine satisfaction with the process.

Methods: The website, www.

Chlamydia pneumoniae enhances cytokine-stimulated human monocyte matrix metalloproteinases through a prostaglandin E2-dependent mechanism.

Exposure of human monocytes to Chlamydia pneumoniae resulted in a significant enhancement of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 and 9 production following stimulation with tumor necrosis factor alpha and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor. The effect of C. pneumoniae on monocyte MMPs was mediated through the induction of prostaglandin E(2).

Comparison of three nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine specimens.

Traditionally, culture and immunoassays have been performed for the detection of sexually transmitted diseases, including Chlamydia trachomatis. However, these assays may often require invasive specimen collection methods, such as female cervical and male urethral swabs. Recently, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have been approved for testing for the presence of C.

Real-time PCR for Chlamydia pneumoniae utilizing the Roche Lightcycler and a 16S rRNA gene target.

Chlamydia pneumoniae (CPN) causes pneumonia in humans, and has emerged as an important respiratory pathogen. There are also established links between CPN infection and coronary artery disease. Traditional culture methods for CPN detection can be time consuming and difficult.

Is Chlamydia pneumoniae infection associated with stroke in children with sickle cell disease?

Background: Stroke is often a devastating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Most children with SCD-related stroke have stenotic and occlusive disease of cerebral blood vessels due to intimal hyperplasia. This hyperplasia is hypothesized to result from an inflammatory response similar to that in atherosclerosis and has been attributed to infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Comparison of an industry-derived LCx Chlamydia pneumoniae PCR research kit to in-house assays performed in five laboratories.

In a multicenter comparison of PCR assays utilizing 120 quantitated samples of 16 Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates, an LCx research-use-only (RUO) PCR developed by Abbott Laboratories demonstrated 100% sensitivity on 48 samples with >1 copy of DNA per microl of specimen. The sensitivities of five in-house PCR assays ranged from 54 to 94% for the same samples. All six assays showed decreased sensitivities as the DNA copy numbers of the samples decreased.

Temporal arteritis and Chlamydia pneumoniae: failure to detect the organism by polymerase chain reaction in ninety cases and ninety controls.

Objective: To examine the reported correlation between the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in temporal artery biopsy specimens and the diagnosis of temporal arteritis (TA).

Methods: Among 90 possible cases of TA identified at our institution between 1968 and 2000, 79 of the positive biopsy specimens (88%) demonstrated giant cells and the other 11 cases (12%) had other histopathologic features compatible with TA; by chart review, all 90 patients were confirmed to have met the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for TA. Controls had negative temporal artery biopsy specimens during the same 32-year time period and their postbiopsy disease courses were not compatible with TA.