[Genetic diagnoses of Chlamydia trachomatis--DNA probe and PCR method]

Chlamydial infections such as male urethritis or female cervicitis, although not receiving as much attention as the AIDS epidemic, are on the increase around the world as sexually-transmitted diseases (STD). A number of diagnostic methods i.e., direct fluorescence antibody method and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) methods, have been developed for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection, but they each have a defect in terms of sensitivity or specificity. Then, to overcome these disadvantages, the genetic diagnostic method such as DNA-RNA hybridization (DNA probe) method, PCR method and LCR method have been clinically introduced. In in vitro studies, the PCR method has higher sensitivity than the EIA method or DNA probe method. All genetic diagnostic methods have specificity superior over the EIA method. In clinical studies, the PCR method was the most useful for detection of C. trachomatis from various infectious lesions.