Nucleic Acid Tests

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Nucleic Acid Tests

  • Most laboratories with large volume of testing use molecular methods; most can be performed on urine
  • Most nucleic acid-based systems test for Neisseria gonorrhoeaealso
    • Nucleic acid probes--not as sensitive as amplification methods
  • Nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) methods are most sensitive
    • Polymerase chain reaction
    • Strand displacement amplification
    • Transcription mediated amplification
  • CDC recommendations for NAAT positive specimens:
    1. Test a second clinical specimen with a different assay that uses a different target sequence and format
    2. Test the original primary specimen with a different assay that utilizes a different target and format
    3. Repeat the original test on the original primary specimen with a competitive probe
    4. Or repeat the original test on the original specimen