Why it is performed
- Diagnose urogenital infection in people with symptoms or a diagnosed partner.
- Screen people without symptoms when indicated by risk, age, pregnancy or history.
- Test genital, rectal or pharyngeal sites separately according to sexual practices and exposure.
How it is performed
For first-catch urine, the beginning of the stream is collected rather than a midstream specimen. Swabs must be compatible with the assay. The sampled site must match the exposed site.
Preparation
- For urine, try not to urinate for at least 1–2 hours beforehand and follow the centre’s volume instructions.
- Do not self-start antibiotics before collection; disclose any already taken.
- Report oral or anal exposure: a negative genital sample does not exclude pharyngeal or rectal infection.
How Askabide processes it
At Askabide
Multiplex molecular amplification of specific C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae targets. Only specimen types accepted and validated for Askabide’s available system are used.
The main analytical phase is performed in the centre’s laboratory, subject to availability and validation.
Results and indicative intervals
Intervals vary by method, analyser, reagent, units, age, sex, pregnancy, menstrual-cycle phase and reference population. The valid interval is the one printed on the laboratory report.
| Parameter or result | Indicative reference | How it is interpreted |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia: not detected | Cualitativo | No genetic material was detected at the sampled site. |
| Chlamydia: detected | Cualitativo | Consistent with infection; clinical assessment, treatment and partner management are required. |
| Gonorrhoea: not detected | Cualitativo | No genetic material was detected at the sampled site. |
| Gonorrhoea: detected | Cualitativo | Consistent with infection; culture and susceptibility testing may be needed after treatment failure or when resistance is suspected. |
| Invalid/inconclusive | Repetición posible | Internal-control failure, inhibition or unsuitable sample. |
Important limitations
- The result applies only to the sampled site and organisms included.
- PCR does not provide antimicrobial susceptibility.
- Very early testing, prior antibiotics or incorrect sampling can reduce performance.