LAUSR

Background An efficient and reliable detection of sexual transmitted infection (STI) is a basic requirement for successful therapies and important for an evaluation of epidemiological processes. Improved analytical methods could facilitate the interpretation of transmission and clinical progress of STIs. We implemented a new multi-target PCR (Allplex ®) using an automated routine diagnostic setting for evaluation. Methods Clinical samples were obtained from STI routine diagnostic. Urine specimens and genital swabs collected from different patient cohorts were processed using the automated Microlab Nimbus® instrument followed by an automated multiplex-PCR setup. The amplification and detection was conducted using the CFX96 system (BioRad, USA) using the Allplex ® STI/GU kit. A simultaneous detection of Chlaymydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH),Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Ureaplamsa parvum (UP), Treponema pallidum (TP), Haemophilius ducreyi (HD), HSV-1 and -2, VZV and CMV and Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) was possible. Results A total of 500 samples were included for evaluation. The number of positive samples was 242, the overall number of detected pathogens was 320 ( CT:31; NG:8; MG:12; TV:2; MH:26; UP:166; UU:51; others:24). Mixed infections could be observed in 61 samples (double: 47; triple: 12; more: 2). Amplification of internal controls revealed a valid processing of all negative samples. The results indicated also a different distribution between age groups, risk behavior, gender and collection site. Conclusion These results demonstrate the benefit of multi-target PCR tools for the diagnosis of STI. The evaluated assay delivered a valid and reproducible performance. A further advantage of the workflow consists in the parallel or pooled processing of samples. Frequent detection of mixed infections face us with new challenges in the interpretation of medical findings. In current and future studies it has to be evaluated how multiplex results have to be interpreted individually and epidemiologically. Disclosure No significant relationships.