Pooling of urine specimens allows accurate and cost-effective genetic detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in Lithuania and other low-resource countries

Scand J Infect Dis. 2007;39(3):209-12. doi: 10.1080/00365540600978914.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to compare performance characteristics and cost-effectiveness of pooling urine samples for screening and diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis using Digene Hybrid Capture II CT/NG Test (HCII), and to examine the prevalence of C. trachomatis in male military recruits in Lithuania. A total of 410 urine samples were individually tested and pooled by 5 and 10 samples, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis were not affected by either pooling strategy. The estimated population prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was nearly identical, i.e. 4.4%, 4.4% and 4.1% based on individually tested samples, and samples pooled by 5 and 10, respectively. For this estimation of the population prevalence, pooling 5 samples reduced the costs by 80% and pooling 10 samples reduced the costs by 90%. For diagnosis of each individual sample, the pooling strategies resulted in cost savings of 60% (5 samples per pool) and 56% (10 samples per pool). The present pooling strategies were sensitive, specific and cost-efficient for screening and diagnosis of C. trachomatis infection in male military recruits in Lithuania. The strategies would be most useful for reasonably inexpensive large-scale screening, prevalence studies and even diagnostics in Lithuania and many other low-resource countries.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Chlamydia Infections / microbiology*
  • Chlamydia Infections / urine*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / isolation & purification
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Humans
  • Lithuania
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / economics
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Military Personnel
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / economics
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Urinalysis / economics
  • Urinalysis / methods
  • Urine / microbiology*

Substances

  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic