Comparison of cytobrushes with swabs for recovery of endocervical cells and for Chlamydiazyme detection of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Endocervical swab and cytobrush specimens from 1,301 symptomatic women were microscopically analyzed for adequacy and tested using Chlamydiazyme (CZ) (Abbott Laboratories). When the swab specimen was collected first, blocking antibody-confirmed CZ-positive results were obtained from 48 (8.0%) of 599 patients, 42 (87.5%) from swabs and 46 (95.8%) from cytobrushes (not significant). When the swab specimen was collected second, confirmed CZ-positive results were obtained from 46 (6.6%) of 702 patients, 44 (95.6%) from swabs and 41 (89.1%) from cytobrushes (not significant). Cytobrushes offered no significant advantage over swabs for CZ detection of Chlamydia trachomatis.