Vaginal swab specimen processing methods influence performance of rapid semen detection tests: a cautionary tale.

Background: Detection of semen biomarkers in vaginal fluid can be used to assess women's recent exposure to semen. Quantitative tests for detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) perform well, but are expensive and require specialized equipment. We assessed two rapid immunochromatographic strip tests for identification of semen in vaginal swabs.

Good performance of rapid prostate-specific antigen test for detection of semen exposure in women: implications for qualitative research.

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a valid biomarker of semen exposure in women and has been used to assess reliability of self-reported sexual behavior as well as serve as a proxy measure for condom efficacy. Quantitative PSA tests are expensive and require specialized equipment. A simple, rapid, and inexpensive test for PSA would facilitate semen biomarker evaluation in a variety of research settings.

Mycoplasma genitalium detected by transcription-mediated amplification is associated with Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescent women.

Objectives: The clinical significance of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection in adolescent women is poorly understood. We compared the prevalence of MG with that of other sexually transmitted organisms such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and assessed the associations of MG with sexual behaviors, genitourinary symptoms, physical and laboratory findings.

Study Design: Women aged 14 to 21 years (n = 331) were recruited from an urban medical center.

Rapid antigen testing compares favorably with transcription-mediated amplification assay for the detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in young women.

Background: Diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) infection is limited by imperfect testing methods. Newer tests, such as rapid antigen and nucleic acid amplification tests, are often compared with culture, which is not widely used but is more sensitive than wet mount. We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of 4 tests for the identification of TV using 3 statistical approaches.