Lab Education - Module 2

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		Gaining Efficiencies in Laboratory Workflow

		Managing Various Sample Types



	Continuing Education Certification

Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) for Chlamydia trachomatis
(CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC):Managing Various Sample Types

NAAT testing for CT and GC has come into widespread use in clinical microbiology laboratories due to the high analytical performance of the assays, the streamlined workflow of the testing platforms, and the ability of these tests to be used with non-invasive samples such as urine or vaginal swabs. Use of non-invasive samples is particularly important for CT and GC since up to half of patients infected with these organisms can be asymptomatic and infected patients often do not present for physical examinations and STD testing. Non-invasive sampling techniques have enabled increased public health screening for CT and GC which will be necessary to bring these common STDs under control. Since different sample types exist to facilitate the diagnosis, improved technologies have been developed to accommodate the handling of the different sample types.
This educational module is the second in a series on clinical testing for CT and GC with NAATS. The goal of this second module is to review the different sample types that can be used with NAATs with a particular focus on the use of urine samples and novel sample types such as vaginal swabs and liquid PAP transport (LPT) samples. Understanding the importance of specimen quality and the differences in sample collection, transportation, handling and associated problems can be key to increasing laboratory efficiency and assuring the highest quality testing results.


		First in a series of educational programs made possible through an unrestricted grant from