What are the guidelines for follow-up testing with the APTIMA assay for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea?
Follow-up testing for Chlamydia The CDC STD Treatment Guidelines of 2002 state: “Non-culture tests conducted at < 3 weeks after completion of therapy for patients who were treated successfully could yield false-positive results because of continued excretion of dead organisms." These guidelines were written prior to widespread use of the highly sensitive GenProbe APTIMA test for CT. Recent emerging data from several sources has suggested that detection of dead CT organisms may persist for up to 5 weeks after completion of therapy. Therefore, follow-up testing for Chlamydia via the GenProbe APTIMA assay, if warranted, is not recommended until 5 weeks after therapy completion. Follow-up testing for Gonorrhea The CDC STD Treatment Guidelines of 2002 state: "Patients who have symptoms that persist after treatment should be evaluated by culture for N. gonorrhoeae, and any gonococci isolated should be tested for antimicrobial susceptibility." Repeat NAAT testing via the GenProbe APTIMA assay
