Development of a real-time PCR assay to detect Treponema pallidum in clinical specimens and assessment of the assay's performance by comparison with serological testing.

The incidence of infectious syphilis in men who have sex with men and human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients has increased steadily in Victoria, Australia, since 2002. A TaqMan real-time PCR assay targeting the polA gene of Treponema pallidum (TpPCR) was developed. The analytical sensitivity of the assay was estimated to be 1.

An assessment of the Roche Amplicor Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae multiplex PCR assay in routine diagnostic use on a variety of specimen types.

The Roche Cobas Amplicor Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay can simultaneously detect both C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, and has been cleared by United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the testing of endocervical and urethral swabs and urine specimens.