Due to ongoing shortages of materials related to COVID-19, some gonorrhea and chlamydia PCR testing was delayed this week and will be completed by Saturday, June 12th.

To build up supply we will be mailing out testing for at least the next two weeks starting this week.  Resumption of normal testing, including the availability of swab collection kits, will be provided in a future broadcast.

As of Friday, June 11th, 2021 we request the following changes be made for all samples for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing:

1) For urine specimens:

• First catch urine should be collected in a typical sterile urine collection cup. Do not transport via the tube system. (pipetting into the transport tube will be done at the lab)

2) For non- urine specimens:
Aptima MultiTest Swab Specimen Collection kit Or Unisex Swab Specimen Collection kit must be used as below. Note that some of these kits are also in short supply.  An initial supply of these kits has been provided to areas who regularly/frequently submit these specimen types.  Supplies will be replenished as they become available. Acceptable specimen types and corresponding kits are:

• Self-collected vaginal swabs in MultiTest Swab collection kit
• Clinician-collected pharyngeal and rectal swabs in MultiTest Swab Collection kit
• Clinician-collected penile and cervical swabs in Unisex Swab collection kit

3) Turnaround time will be within (1-4 days) of receipt in the reference laboratory

Visual instructions for use of the Aptima MultiTest Swab Specimen Collection kit are detailed below:

https://www.hologic.com/sites/default/files/2018-01/AW-16968_001_01_0.pdf

Visual instructions for use of the Aptima Unisex Swab specimen collection Kit are detailed below:

https://www.hologic.com/sites/default/files/2019-06/502258-IFU-PI_003_01.pdf

Questions concerning this broadcast can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu; *8290).