Addition of Trichomonas vaginalis NAAT testing to the STI repertoire at NVRL

Following several requests from our service users, the NVRL has added the APTIMA Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) to the sexual health testing menu at the laboratory. Testing will be available for symptomatic patients, on request, from 21st March 2016. Current guidelines recommend testing for TV in women complaining of vaginal discharge or vulvitis, or found to have evidence of vulvitis, and/or vaginitis on examination. Testing in men is recommended for TV contacts, and should also be considered in those with persistent urethritis.

NAATs offer the highest sensitivity for the detection of TV and a more convenient alternative to traditional methods of wet mount microscopy and culture. The APTIMA TV assay is FDA approved and can detect TV rRNA in vaginal or endocervical swabs and in urine samples from women and men with sensitivities of 88%-97% and specificities of 98%-99%. Samples should be collected in the APTIMA Unisex Swab Specimen Collection Kit for endocervical and male urethral swab specimens and the Urine Collection Kit for male and female urine specimens. The APTIMA Vaginal Swab Specimen Collection Kit can also be used for vaginal swabs. All are available from the NVRL on request. Swab and urine specimens are stable at room temperature for 60 and 30 days post collection respectively. For patients that require TV, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea testing, one sample is sufficient for all tests.

Further information is available on the NVRL website (nvrl.ucd.ie).