The Comparison of ELISA and PCR in diagnosis of chlamydia trachomatis infection sin sex workers

ABSTRACT THE COMPARISON OF ELISA AND PCR IN DIAGNOSIS OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTIONS IN SEX WORKERS This study was performed to compare the PCR (16S rRNA + criptic plasmid) with direkt ELISA in diagnosis of asymptomatic endocervical chlamydial infections in 68 sex workers in our area. In our study, the PCR tests using primers that target 16S rRNA and primers that target tho specific sequence of 215 base pair that belongs to plasmid and ELISA method were compared. ELISA method using specific rabbit monoclonal antibodies to MOMP protein of C. trachomatis was employed. Of the 68 specimens from sex workers 17(25%) endocervical specimens were PCR (16S rRNA + criptic plasmid) positive for C.trachomatis and 10 (14.7%) were positive by ELISA. These data indicate that PCR which targets plasmid is more sensitive (76.5%) than ELISA (58.8%) for detecting C.trachomatis from genital specimens. Key words: C.trachomatis, PCR, 16S rRNA, criptic plasmid IV