Comparing urine specimens, vaginal swabs, and endocervical specimens to detect chlamydia trachomatis by using PCR

to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and to compare the abilities of three different techniques of collecting specimens [urine, vaginal swab, and endoeervical swab] to identify a positive specimen. Cross-sectional. Setting: Al Zahraa University Hospital a total of 70 women were enrolled in the study, the women provided first-void urine and self-collected vaginal swabs. The overall prevalence of genital C. trachomatis infection was 20.0% and 70% in women consulting without [G0] and with [G1] genital symptoms, respectively [Table 2]. The rate of detection of Chiamydia using PCR in urine samples did not differ significantly between the 2 groups although it showed a higher detection rate in the other sympyomatizing cases. The detection rate in vaginal introital swabs and endocervical swabs were significantly higher in cases than control, p=0.045 and 0.031 respectively. When both vaginal and endocervical swabs are combined together the difference was extremely significant [p=0.0016]. Self-collected vaginal swabs identified the highest number of positive test results among single specimens, with the combined cervix-vagina results identifying the highest number of positive results

Ureaplasma urealyticum in women with chronic urinary symptoms

Objective. To determine the incidence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in women experiencing chronic urinary symptoms and to determine whether antibiotic therapy targeting these organisms is effective. Design: a prospective study. Setting: Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Zahraa University Hospital. Patients: Twenty-four women with chronic urinary symptoms. Study design: Participants were referred for evaluation of chronic voiding symptoms. They underwent urologic evaluation, including culture screening for Ureaplasma urealyticum. Patients with positive cultures were treated with a 1-g dose of azithromycin. Patients were scored for symptoms severity and voiding frequency before and after treatment. Twelve out of 24 women [50%] with chronic urinary symptoms had positive cultures for Ureaplasma urealyticum. No signifcant difference in age or parity was found between women with positive cultures and those with negative cultures for Ureaplasma urealyticum [p=0.51 and 0.93 respectively]. Women with negative cultures [n = 12] had urinary frequency of 10 +/- 1.63 and severity of symptoms of 1.75 +/- 0.72. Women with positive cultures [n = 12] had urinary frequency of 9.67 +/- 1.37 and severity of symptoms of 1.92 +/- 0.95. Women with positive cultures before treatment did not differ significantly from those with negative cultures as regard urinary frequency and severity of symptoms [p = 0.60 and 0.63 respectively]. After receiving therapy, women with positive cultures reported urinary frequency of 5.83 +/- 1.14 and severity of symptoms of 0.42 +/- 0.86. These values differed significantly from corresponding values before treatment [p <0.0001 and=0.0005 respectively]. Ureaplasma urealyticum infections may account for a large proportion of unexplained chronic urinary symptoms in women. Culture and treatment appears cost-effective