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Chlamydia trachomatis

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Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis is the bacterium responsible for Chlamydia, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide.

Transmission is mainly following sexual contact with an infected partner and is most commonly seen in young adults. Infection can be asymptomatic or cause only mild symptoms however untreated infection can lead to long term complications including pelvic inflammatory disease.

Increased screening is essential to prevent the significant morbidity that untreated, asymptomatic STIs can cause. Diagnosis using NAAT (nucleic acid amplification technique, e.g. PCR, polymerase chain reaction) is the current diagnostic gold standard.

Useful Links
A-Z List of Tests
Frequently Asked Questions
Master Test List
Clinical Details

Most women with a Chlamydia trachomatis infection are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms such as increased vaginal discharge, dyspareunia (pain during intercourse), dysuria (discomfort on urination) or lower abdominal pain. Complications include endometritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. In males symptoms include urethral discharge and dysuria, untreated infection can lead to epididymitis and proctitis. Extra-genital infection may involve the rectum, pharynx or conjunctive. Molecular tests (NAAT’s) are the recommended test for diagnosis of Chlamydia. As the incubation period is 1 to 3 weeks. This should be considered in the timing of the test after a possible exposure and a repeat sample may be required.

For further information please refer to the HSE website.

Or to the most recent BASHH guidelines which can be viewed here.

Case Study

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At Enfer Medical, we have integrated a cutting-edge and fully automated WASPLab® (Walk Away Specimen Processor) that has significantly enhanced our testing capabilities to ensure the highest of quality when processing patient samples.
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WASPLab® at Enfer Medical
Our entire microbiology workflow has been optimized using automation and highly sophisticated robots to ensure uninterrupted incubation for rapid bacterial growth and improved turnaround times for patients.
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Our Services

Service
Health & Wellness
General health and wellness testing can include a variety of tests, depending on the needs of the individual or recommendations of
Find Out More
Service
Sexual Health
Regular STI screening facilitates early treatment and reduces the long-term consequences of infection.
Find Out More
Service
Respiratory Health
Rapid early pathogen identification has important treatment and infection control implications. See our range of tests here.
Find Out More
Service
Reproductive & Female Health
Hormonal analysis is hugely beneficial to identifying problems that can arise during the reproductive years.
Find Out More
Service
All Services
View the full suite of services at Enfer Medical here.......
Find Out More
Sample Type &
Volume Required

Endocervical, vaginal and male urethral Aptima collection swab specimens OR female and male Aptima urine specimens, with a final volume between the black fill lines of a urine specimen transport tube.

Enfer Medical

Tests/Assays

The test for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) offered by Enfer Medical is a combined Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) molecular assay, used for screening, followed by confirmation using pathogen specific assays. These assays are target amplification nucleic acid probe tests that utilizes target capture for the in vitro qualitative detection of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) from Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC). This test is CE-IVD certified.

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Patient

Request Form

For clients using the Enfer Medical Client Portal, the Enfer Medical Patient Request Form (PRF) will be generated when you have completed your “Test Request” within the portal linked below.

Enfer Medical Portal

Please note that samples suspected of containing high risk pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis should be clearly identified on the form and packed separately from other samples.

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24 hours

Results are available next working day.

7 Days a Week

This assay is available seven days a week.

Packaging

The packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory are required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. HSE guidance can be reviewed HERE.
There are specific packaging instructions and labelling requirements requiring triple packaging including:

  • Primary leak-proof container – tube or vial containing the sample.
  • Secondary watertight container, with absorbent material, intended to protect the primary container.
  • Outer container protects the secondary container.
  • Patient Request forms must be placed between the secondary container and the outer shipping container.


Further information on the packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory is contained within the Enfer Medical Laboratory User Manual which clients are provided with.

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Storage & Stability

Samples must be tested within 30 days of collection (if collected in an Aptima collection device) and stored at 2-30°C prior to testing.

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Transporting
Samples

In addition to the packaging of samples, the transport/delivery of clinical samples to the laboratory is required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. Enfer Medical provides a fully compliant logistics service, aligned with clients’ testing requirements.

Prompt transport of specimens:
To ensure prompt testing of samples and release of results within the published test turnaround times, samples should arrive to the laboratory by 18:00. Test turnaround time is measured from receipt of the sample at the laboratory until the time the authorised results are reported to users.

Acceptance/Rejection
of Samples

In rare cases specimens may not be suitable for testing on arrival to the laboratory. In that case the sample will be rejected at the receipt stage and the service user will be notified immediately and an explanation as to why the sample could not be processed will be provided. Reasons why samples cannot be processed include but are not limited to:

  • Samples received beyond the stability limits and/or not at the correct temperature indicated for each test.
  • Incorrect sample type received.
  • Leaking samples, sample not received or sample insufficient for analysis as stated below within sample requirements.
  • Non-compliant samples or request forms i.e. those missing sample date information, missing sample test request and/or missing sample site/type information.
  • Samples received without the necessary patient identifiers.
Clients will be provided with guidance on Sample Receipt Anomalies.

Our Services

Service
Health & Wellness
General health and wellness testing can include a variety of tests, depending on the needs of the individual or recommendations of
Find Out More
Service
Sexual Health
Regular STI screening facilitates early treatment and reduces the long-term consequences of infection.
Find Out More
Service
Respiratory Health
Rapid early pathogen identification has important treatment and infection control implications. See our range of tests here.
Find Out More
Service
Reproductive & Female Health
Hormonal analysis is hugely beneficial to identifying problems that can arise during the reproductive years.
Find Out More
Service
All Services
View the full suite of services at Enfer Medical here.......
Find Out More
Result Values:
Qualitative results:
Qualitative results will be reported as:
  • DETECTED
  • NOT DETECTED
  • INVALID
Please note Chlamydia trachomatis is a notifiable disease under the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 53 of 2020) February 2020.

Please refer to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre for the Case Definitions for Notifiable Diseases:

HPSC Link
Accessing

Your Results

Following receipt at the Laboratory, results should be available on the next working day and will be reported to the referring clinician via the Enfer Medical Client Portal or in a format agreed with clients.

Client Login

Established clients can login to the portal using the link above.

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