Efficacy of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of gonorrhea in males and females

ABSTRACT

An enzyme immunoassay for detecting gonococcal antigen [Gonozyme -GC- EIA] was evaluated in this study in diagnosis of both male and female urogenital specimens and copared to the conventional methods i.e. Gram-Stained smears, and culture. For male specimens, specificity and both positive and negative predictive values [p.v.] all exceeded 92% and up to 100%. With female patients the values were slightly lower but still of high specificity [89.2%] and negative p.v. [87%]. Gram staining showed much lower sensitivity especially in the endocervical specimens [55.5% compared to 88.8% of GC-EIA], however, it had 100% +ve p.v. In both populations. In conclusion GG-EIA is useful as a rapid, specific and sensitive diagnostic tool of gonorrhoea