Analysis of direct-to-consumer marketed Chlamydia trachomatis diagnostic tests in Norway.

Unlabelled: Background In 2014, and for the first time in Norway, a pharmacy chain started selling home sampling kits for Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) detection. Direct-to-consumer diagnostic kits for C.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain with high-level resistance to spectinomycin due to a novel resistance mechanism (mutated ribosomal protein S5) verified in Norway.

Gonorrhea may become untreatable, and new treatment options are essential. Verified resistance to spectinomycin is exceedingly rare. However, we describe a high-level spectinomycin-resistant (MIC, >1,024 μg/ml) Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain from Norway with a novel resistance mechanism.

Appropriate time for test-of-cure when diagnosing gonorrhoea with a nucleic acid amplification test.

Culture is commonly regarded as the gold standard for diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. However, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have rapidly replaced culture for diagnostics in many settings. The aim of the present study was to investigate the appropriate time for test-of-cure (TOC) when NAATs are used for diagnosis of gonorrhoea.

Evaluation of six commercial nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and other Neisseria species.

Molecular detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in extragenital samples may result in false-positive results due to cross-reaction with commensal Neisseria species or Neisseria meningitidis. This study examined 450 characterized clinical culture isolates, comprising 216 N. gonorrhoeae isolates and 234 isolates of nongonococcal Neisseria species (n = 218) and 16 isolates of other closely related bacteria, with six commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs).

Comparing urine samples and cervical swabs for Chlamydia testing in a female population by means of Strand Displacement Assay (SDA).

Background: There has been an increasing number of diagnosed cases of Chlamydia trachomatis in many countries, in particular among young people. The present study was based on a growing request to examine urine as a supplementary or primary specimen in screening for Chlamydia trachomatis in women, with the Becton Dickinson ProbeTec (BDPT) Strand Displacement Assay (SDA). Urine samples may be particularly important in screening young people who are asymptomatic.

Clinical validation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction detection of Neisseria gonorrheae porA pseudogene versus culture techniques.

Background: Diagnosing Neisseria gonorrheae using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) might increase the sensitivity, compared to cultivation. However, using NAATs has also been problematic mainly due to the close genetic relationships between different Neisseria species, resulting in false positive diagnoses. This study was conducted to clinically validate a previously published real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method targeting the porA pseudogene in N.

A fast real-time polymerase chain reaction method for sensitive and specific detection of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA pseudogene.

Ever since the advent of molecular methods, the diagnostics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been troubled by false negative and false positive results compared with culture. Commensal Neisseria species and Neisseria meningitidis are closely related to N. gonorrhoeae and may cross-react when using molecular tests comprising too-low specificity.

Genetic methods for detection of antimicrobial resistance.

Accurate and rapid diagnostic methods are needed to guide antimicrobial therapy and infection control interventions. Advances in real-time PCR have provided a user-friendly, rapid and reproducible testing platform catalysing an increased use of genetic assays as part of a wider strategy to minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. In this review we outline the principal features of genetic assays in the detection of antimicrobial resistance, their advantages and limitations, and discuss specific applications in the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, glycopeptide-resistant enterococci, aminoglycoside resistance in staphylococci and enterococci, broad-spectrum resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in gram-negative bacteria, as well as genetic elements involved in the assembly and spread of antimicrobial resistance.