As of Wednesday, October 23, 2019, the method used for gonorrhea and chlamydia PCR testing will change. All testing sources and orders will remain the same, as will test performance. There will be two important changes:

1. Collection devices used for old testing will no longer be acceptable. There are two new kits for urine (Stores #143671) and endocervical (Stores #143672) collection. Acceptable specimens are unchanged from previous testing:
      • Self-collected vaginal swabs
      • Clinician-collected cervical swabs
      • Clinician-collected pharyngeal and rectal swabs
      • First catch urine (need for concurrent urine culture, or inability to collect first catch urine,
         should prompt collection of another sample)
2. Turnaround time will be within 3 hours of receipt in the laboratory, 24/7, for inpatient/ED specimens and for outpatient specimens received from 8AM-5PM.

Visual instructions for use of the new kits are linked from the Pathology Handbook (bottom, "Comments" section):

Chlamydia PCR: https://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/path_handbook/handbook/test427.html

Gonorrhea PCR: https://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/path_handbook/handbook/test2984.html

Questions concerning this broadcast can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu).