Ability of new APTIMA CT and APTIMA GC assays to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in male urine and urethral swabs.

A clinical evaluation was conducted in six North American centers to determine the ability of APTIMA CT (ACT) and APTIMA GC (AGC) nucleic acid amplification assays to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in 1,322 men by testing their urethral swabs and first-catch urine (FCU). The results obtained with ACT and AGC assays were compared to an infected patient status determined by testing the specimens with the APTIMA Combo 2 and the BD ProbeTec energy transfer multiplex assays. Symptoms did not influence the values. Positive and negative agreements of the ACT and AGC assays for individual specimens were high, with each comparator assay ranging between 94.3 and 100% for positives and 93.9 and 99.4% for negatives. The ACT and AGC assays performed on noninvasive specimens such as FCU effectively identified C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae infections in symptomatic and asymptomatic men and should be suitable for screening male populations.