Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30606127›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2019

Comparison of an in-house real-time duplex PCR assay with commercial HOLOGIC® APTIMA assays for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in urine and extra-genital specimens.

Johanna M E Venter, Precious M Mahlangu, Etienne E Müller, David A Lewis, Kevin Rebe, Helen Struthers, James McIntyre, Ranmini S Kularatne

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Rapid and simple detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using the EasyNAT CT/NG assay based on cross-priming amplification.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Johanna M E VenterCentre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa. LLZEV@NICD.AC.ZA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9725-9606
Precious M MahlanguCentre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa.
Etienne E MüllerCentre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa.
David A LewisWestern Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, Parramatta, Australia.
Kevin RebeAnova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Cape Town, South Africa.
Helen StruthersAnova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Cape Town, South Africa.
James McIntyreAnova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Cape Town, South Africa.
Ranmini S KularatneCentre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa.

Funding

United States Agency for International Development AID-674-A-12-00015
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExtra-genital Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections are mostly asymptomatic, and important reservoir sites of infection as they often go undetected and may be more difficult to eradicate with recommended therapeutic regimens. Commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have not received regulatory approval for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in extra-genital specimens. The HOLOGIC® APTIMA Combo2 assay for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis has performed well in evaluations using extra-genital specimens.

methodsWe assessed the performance of an in-house real-time duplex PCR assay for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in urine and extra-genital specimens using the HOLOGIC® APTIMA assays as gold standard comparators. Urine, oropharyngeal and ano-rectal specimens were collected from each of 200 men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) between December 2011 and July 2012.

resultsFor N. gonorrhoeae detection, the in-house PCR assay showed 98.5-100% correlation agreement with the APTIMA assays, depending on specimen type. Sensitivity for N. gonorrhoeae detection was 82.4% for ano-rectal specimens, 83.3% for oropharyngeal specimens, and 85.7% for urine; and specificity was 100% with all specimen types. The positive predictive value (PPV) for N. gonorrhoeae detection was 100% and the negative predictive value (NPV) varied with sample type, ranging from 98.5-99.5%. For C. trachomatis detection, correlation between the assays was 100% for all specimen types. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the in-house PCR assay was 100% for C. trachomatis detection, irrespective of specimen type.

conclusionThe in-house duplex real-time PCR assay showed acceptable performance characteristics in comparison with the APTIMA® assays for the detection of extra-genital N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis.

Indexed as

AdultChlamydia InfectionsChlamydia trachomatisGenitaliaGonorrheaHomosexuality, MaleHumansMaleNeisseria gonorrhoeaeNucleic Acid Amplification TechniquesReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSensitivity and SpecificityAPTIMAChlamydia trachomatisExtra-genitalIn-house real-time PCRNeisseria gonorrhoeaeUrine

Identifiers

PMID30606127
PMCPMC6318993

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.