Specimen Required

Specimen:  GC-Chlamydia swab for Females

Female cervical, endocervical or vaginal swab specimens are collected  and transported in Cobas® PCR media. This test is also approved for female self-collected vaginal specimens  using the Cobas® PCR media swab collect kit. 

For females, urine is also an acceptable specimen.

For males, only urine is acceptable. Not an approved method for male urogenital samples.

ONLY SAMPLE SWABS PROVIDED IN THE RESPECTIVE COLLECTION KITS ARE APPROVED FOR SAMPLE COLLECTION AND TESTING.  DO NOT COLLECT SAMPLES ON WOODEN SHAFT, COTTON TIP SWABS OR ANY OTHER UNAPPROVED SAMPLING DEVICE.

Acceptable:

Collection  in Cobas® PCR media preferred:

GC-Chlamydia swab for Females

GC-Chlamydia Urine (male or female) collection

Sterile Urine Cup

    Sterile collection cup

Chlamydia/GC SWAB sample:

Female (provider collected): Remove excess mucus from endocervix with 1 large tipped swab and discard swab.  Insert another large swab into the endocervical canal.  Rotate 3-5 seconds and withdraw.  Transfer specimen collection swab to a tube of Cobas® PCR media.  Swab is easily broken off at the scored (black line).  Swab must remain in the transport media.  Close the transport media tube securely. Date and label the tube with appropriate patient identification information. 

Vaginal swab self-collection

This method is also approved  for female self-collection. Refer to specific instructions on each Cobas® PCR media kit.

Chlamydia/GC URINE sample- Male/Female:    Chlamydia Urine (male or female) collection

Dirty catch urine, preferred collection after 1 hour of not-voiding, volume between 15-50 mls, (dirty catch, first part of the stream, not mid-stream) into a clean, polypropylene container without preservatives. (You may want to mark the outside of the cup to show the desired volume.)  Too much urine volume causes a dilution effect and can yield negative results. Caution the patient not to begin urinating until the collection cup is in position. 

Urine can be submitted directly to Asante RRMC lab. Aliquot urine into Cobas PCR® media to only fill between the lines (do not overfill) within 24 hours of collection. Office may submit urine already aliquoted  in Cobas PCR® media. DO NOT OVERFILL the Cobas PCR® media vial; fill ONLY in between the lines. NOTE: Given that collection of larger volumes of urine may reduce test sensitivity, emphasis should be placed on the FIRST voided part of the stream.

 Date and label the tube with appropriate patient identification information. 

Also include specimen source information on transport tube and on test requisition. 

Specimens collected  and transported with the Cobas® PCR Sample Kit may be stored at 2°-30°C for up to 12 months once the specimens have been stabilized in Cobas® PCR® Media.  Refrigerate urines and transport to the laboratory as soon as possible. Stability of urine, not stabilized in Cobas PCR® media is 24 hours.

Testing at RRMC is for 14 years and OLDER. 13 and under are collected in GenProbe Aptima II media and sent to Mayo  or Specialty Labs-check with Central Processing to obtain special collection media.

Use:  Qualitative detection of plasmid DNA for C. trachomatis/GC in urogenital (female) samples or urine (male or female) samples. 
PCR method should not be used as a “test for cure.”

Urine: Given that collection of larger volumes of urine may reduce test sensitivity, urine collected in volumes great than 50 mls may cause false negative results.

Note: Grossly bloody samples are unacceptable and may yield false positive results.  Grossly mucoid samples are unacceptable and may yield false negative results.  Avoid sample contamination, the presence of spermicide, lubricants or feminine hygiene powders.