New Point-of-Care Test may detect Chlamydia, Gonorrhea in 30 minutes

Rates of chlamydial and gonococcal infection continue to increase globally.In order to curb the rising rate of these infections a need was felt to device single visit rapid test to cut the costing and increase compliance. The scientists had been in look out for a single visit tests critical to control the rates of chlamydial and gonococcal infection.

Researchers have developed a point-of-care test for chlamydia and gonorrhea provides results in 30 minutes, allowing testing and treatment at a single visit.Highly sensitive, rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea testing at the point of care is now a possibility that can support same-day testing and treatment strategies. The research has been published in the JAMA Network Open.

The researchers conducted a study to evaluat a new point-of-care assay for detection of chlamydia and gonorrhea compared to commercially available laboratory-based molecular diagnostics.

They conducted a noninterventional, cross-sectional clinical study from September 18, 2018, through March 13, 2019, at sexually transmitted infection (STI), HIV, family planning, and obstetrics and gynecology clinics where STI screening is routine, using a convenience sample and comparing commercially available assays with a new 30-minute POC assay. Patients included were those eligible for STI screening or diagnostic testing who had not taken antibiotics effective against chlamydia or gonorrhea within the previous 28 days. Four vaginal swab samples were collected from women and a first-catch urine sample was obtained from men. The test's manufacturer designed and conducted the study in collaboration with the authors.

The study comprised of 1500 women and 900 men attending clinics who were offered routine screening for sexually transmitted infections. Women were provided vaginal swabs and men were provided first-catch urine. Each underwent testing with three different laboratory-based tests — two of which had to be positive to affirm a diagnosis — in addition to the point-of-care test.

It was found that for chlamydia, the point-of-care test, compared against the other tests, had a sensitivity of 96% for women and 93% for men; for gonorrhea, sensitivities were 100% for women and 97% for men. Specificities were all above 99%.

The authors concluded that the study suggests that self-obtained vaginal swab samples were associated with performance equivalent to laboratory-based molecular diagnostics, which can support use of this POC assay in many settings. The availability of an easy-to-use, rapid (30-minute) molecular test for accurate detection of chlamydia and gonorrhea has the power to facilitate testing and treatment in a single patient visit for these sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

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JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(5):e204819. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.4819