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Rapid diagnosis of urogenital chlamydia
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Chlamydia trachomatis is normally absent from material from the genitourinary organs.
The method is based on the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis antigens in scrapings from the urethra, cervical canal and conjunctiva using the ELISA method with a visual assessment of the result (sensitivity is more than 79%, specificity is more than 95%). This method is based on the presence of a genus-specific lipopolysaccharide antigen in chlamydia. It allows for rapid screening of the pathogen, but the final diagnosis is established using the fluorescent antibody method or PCR. The results of the study are expressed as a positive or negative answer. To obtain satisfactory results of the study, it is necessary to follow certain rules: the material (scraping) must be correctly taken and delivered to the laboratory in a timely manner (within 2 hours).
Express diagnostics of urogenital chlamydia is used for urethritis, prostatitis, cervicitis, and adnexitis.
[ Determination of Chlamydia trachomatis by the fluorescent antibody method
Chlamydia trachomatis is normally absent from material from the genitourinary organs.
The principle of the method is to use monoclonal antibodies labeled with fluorescent isothiocyanate against the main protein of the outer membrane of chlamydia, present in all serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as in elementary and reticular bodies. The sensitivity of the method reaches 90-95%, and the use of monoclonal antibodies ensures high specificity - more than 95% in the presence of clinical manifestations of urogenital chlamydia.
When examining conjunctival scrapings, the sensitivity of the fluorescent antibody method is 70-95%, and the specificity is 98%.