Review article

Microbiological Diagnostics of Sexually Transmitted Infections

Lidija Žele-Starčević ; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Vanda Plečko1 ; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Mihael Skerlev ; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are an important global problem both due to their increasing rate and serious health consequences such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, congenital infections, and even mortality. Many STIs are asymptomatic and therefore go undetected and untreated. This is of particular concern with the recognition that HIV transmission is increased with co-existent STIs. Therefore, accurate, cost-effective and reliable diagnostic assays are needed to obtain more precise data on the incidence of various STIs. Conventional diagnostic assays have
a relatively low sensitivity. However, with the advent of molecular technologies, including target and signal amplifi cation methods,
diagnostics of STIs have been revolutionised and allow the use of non-invasive or minimally invasive sampling techniques, some of which are self-collected by the patient, e.g. first-void urine and low vaginal swabs. Most studies evaluating such self-sampling with molecular diagnostic techniques have demonstrated an equivalent or superior detection of STIs as compared to conventional sampling and detection methods.

Keywords

sexually transmitted infections; diagnostic; conventional methods; molecular methods

Hrčak ID:

48232

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/48232

Publication date:

19.2.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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