CT/NG & HPV
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Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection
About Chlamydia trachomatis (CT)
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) in many countries, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the second most leading cause of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Since approximately half of CT infections are asymptomatic, many cases go undetected and untreated. The consequences of an untreated chlamydial infection can be severe, leading to urethritis, conjunctivitis or infertility, among other conditions. With robust internal controls and by simultaneously amplifying and detecting two different bacterial genome and plasmid regions, Roche's cobas® 4800 CT test is designed to detect all known variants associated with clinical Chlamydia trachomatis infections, including the Swedish mutant strain.
About Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG)
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In 2006, a total of 358,366 cases of NG infection were reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and it is estimated that more than 700,000 persons acquire new infections each year. NG infections in men can lead to urethritis or epididymitis, and in women can lead to endocervical infection or pelvic inflammatory disease, among other conditions. Roche's cobas® 4800 NG test is designed to simultaneously amplify and detect two areas of a new DNA target region specific for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Dual PCR products allow the test to detect a wider variety of NG variants without sacrificing sensitivity, while at the same time vastly improving specificity.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) detection
Persistent infection with human papillomavirus is the principal cause of cervical cancer in women, with HPV implicated in greater than 99% of cervical cancers worldwide. Of the more than 118 different types of HPV, 14 types are currently considered high-risk for the development of cervical cancer and its precursor lesions (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68). Of these 14 genotypes, HPV types 16 and 18 have been identified as the highest risk genotypes. Nucleic acid (DNA) testing is a sensitive and non-invasive method for determining the presence of a cervical HPV infection.