Comparison of the chlamydia trachomatis cell culture test results with direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) methods in endocervical specimens

2. SUMMARY Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is known to be the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STDs). Worldwide it is estimated that there are more than 50 million new cases annually. The status of C.trachomatis infection is not known in Turkey and we need a new wide data about the infection. In this study we used two screening methods (Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) and optical immunoassay based enzyme immunoassay technique) and one gold standart (Cycloheximide treated McCoy cell culture in the shell vials) method. We detected the C.trachomatis in 24 patients from 75 (%32) with cervical infection with cell culture method and compared two screening methods about sensitivity, specifity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV). We found the sensitivity, specifity, PPV, NPV, %71, %100, %86, %100, for DFA, and %75, %86, %72, %88, for OIA respectively. When the results were evaluated, it has been shown that DFA method more effective than OIA for the screening of C.trachomatis in our laboratory. Because OlA's have more false positive results and we have to confirm all positive results of OlA's with the reference methods.