Is one swab enough to detect chlamydial infection of the cervix?

Three swabs were taken from the cervix of each of 104 women for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. The processing of three swabs instead of one increased the isolation rate by only 2%, and later swabs did not result in the production of more chlamydial inclusions than first swabs. In most clinics, therefore, a single cervical swab is adequate to detect chlamydial infection.