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Why do we need quality-assured diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted infections?

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 4, pages S7–S19 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia can all be cured with a single dose of antibiotic. Unfortunately, however, these infections often remain undiagnosed as many infected individuals have few if any symptoms. Diagnostic tests with high sensitivity and specificity are available for all three infections but, owing to their expense and the lack of laboratory capacity, most people in developing countries do not have access to these tests. There is a great need for simple, cheap diagnostic tests for STIs that can be performed at the point of care, enabling treatment to be given immediately. It is hoped that recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of these infections, and the availability of the complete genome sequences for each causative organism, will lead to the development of improved point-of-care tests that will reduce the burden of these diseases in developing countries.

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Figure 1: Estimated new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections among adults.
Figure 2: The rapid plasma reagin test.
Figure 3: The rapid diagnostic test for syphilis.
Figure 4: Schematic representation of a rapid point-of-care test for chlamydia diagnosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WHO/TDR Sexually Transmitted Diseases Diagnostics Initiative (SDI), UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, CH-1211 27, Switzerland

    Rosanna W. Peeling

  2. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK

    David Mabey

  3. Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, North Somerset, UK

    Alan Herring

  4. Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 229 Tinsley Harrison Tower, 1900 University Boulevard, Birmingham, 35294-0006, Alabama, USA

    Edward W. Hook 3rd

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  1. Rosanna W. Peeling
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  2. David Mabey
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Correspondence to Rosanna W. Peeling.

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DATABASES

Entrez Genome Project

C. trachomatis serovar A

C. trachomatis serovar D

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Treponema pallidum

UniprotKB

TprK

FURTHER INFORMATION

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 genome sequence

WHO SDI

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Peeling, R., Mabey, D., Herring, A. et al. Why do we need quality-assured diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted infections?. Nat Rev Microbiol 4 (Suppl 12), S7–S19 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1569

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